Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Calgary 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Cost of Living in Calgary is 23.9% lower than in Washington, DC (excluding rent)
Cost of Living Including Rent in Calgary is 35.6% lower than in Washington, DC
Rent Prices in Calgary are 53.0% lower than in Washington, DC
Restaurant Prices in Calgary are 31.7% lower than in Washington, DC
Groceries Prices in Calgary are 18.7% lower than in Washington, DC
Local Purchasing Power in Calgary is 22.2% lower than in Washington, DC
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Washington, DC Edit Calgary Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 25.00 $
(34.69 C$)
18.02 $
(25.00 C$)
     -27.9 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 120.00 $
(166.51 C$)
72.07 $
(100.00 C$)
     -39.9 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 12.00 $
(16.65 C$)
10.81 $
(15.00 C$)
     -9.9 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 8.00 $
(11.10 C$)
5.04 $
(7.00 C$)
     -36.9 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 10.00 $
(13.88 C$)
6.49 $
(9.00 C$)
     -35.1 %
Cappuccino (regular) 5.59 $
(7.76 C$)
3.75 $
(5.21 C$)
     -32.8 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 3.02 $
(4.19 C$)
2.07 $
(2.87 C$)
     -31.5 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.56 $
(3.55 C$)
1.70 $
(2.36 C$)
     -33.5 %
Markets
Washington, DC Edit Calgary Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 4.22 $
(5.86 C$)
8.04 $
(11.15 C$)
     +90.4 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 3.95 $
(5.49 C$)
2.51 $
(3.48 C$)
     -36.6 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 2.92 $
(4.06 C$)
1.41 $
(1.95 C$)
     -51.9 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 4.11 $
(5.70 C$)
3.46 $
(4.79 C$)
     -15.9 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 7.42 $
(10.29 C$)
6.40 $
(8.87 C$)
     -13.8 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 6.96 $
(9.66 C$)
5.78 $
(8.01 C$)
     -17.0 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 8.94 $
(12.40 C$)
7.03 $
(9.76 C$)
     -21.3 %
Apples (1 lb) 2.76 $
(3.83 C$)
1.94 $
(2.70 C$)
     -29.6 %
Banana (1 lb) 0.98 $
(1.36 C$)
0.59 $
(0.82 C$)
     -39.4 %
Oranges (1 lb) 2.40 $
(3.32 C$)
1.65 $
(2.30 C$)
     -31.0 %
Tomato (1 lb) 2.85 $
(3.96 C$)
1.95 $
(2.71 C$)
     -31.5 %
Potato (1 lb) 1.57 $
(2.18 C$)
1.11 $
(1.54 C$)
     -29.3 %
Onion (1 lb) 1.75 $
(2.43 C$)
1.14 $
(1.58 C$)
     -34.7 %
Lettuce (1 head) 2.52 $
(3.49 C$)
2.68 $
(3.72 C$)
     +6.5 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 2.51 $
(3.48 C$)
1.88 $
(2.61 C$)
     -25.1 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 16.00 $
(22.20 C$)
14.41 $
(20.00 C$)
     -9.9 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 2.87 $
(3.98 C$)
2.92 $
(4.05 C$)
     +1.8 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 4.71 $
(6.53 C$)
4.03 $
(5.58 C$)
     -14.5 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 11.00 $
(15.26 C$)
14.41 $
(20.00 C$)
     +31.0 %
Transportation
Washington, DC Edit Calgary Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 2.50 $
(3.47 C$)
2.67 $
(3.70 C$)
     +6.7 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 75.00 $
(104.07 C$)
85.04 $
(118.00 C$)
     +13.4 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 4.00 $
(5.55 C$)
3.60 $
(5.00 C$)
     -9.9 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 4.00 $
(5.55 C$)
2.23 $
(3.09 C$)
     -44.3 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 30.00 $
(41.63 C$)
28.15 $
(39.06 C$)
     -6.2 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 3.48 $
(4.83 C$)
4.18 $
(5.80 C$)
     +20.0 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 32,500.00 $
(45,095.86 C$)
24,495.43 $
(33,989.00 C$)
     -24.6 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 25,882.60 $
(35,913.79 C$)
20,997.76 $
(29,135.75 C$)
     -18.9 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Washington, DC Edit Calgary Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 210.68 $
(292.33 C$)
203.68 $
(282.62 C$)
     -3.3 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 60.39 $
(83.79 C$)
42.27 $
(58.65 C$)
     -30.0 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 66.25 $
(91.93 C$)
60.41 $
(83.83 C$)
     -8.8 %
Sports And Leisure
Washington, DC Edit Calgary Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 115.29 $
(159.98 C$)
52.53 $
(72.89 C$)
     -54.4 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 38.41 $
(53.30 C$)
41.89 $
(58.12 C$)
     +9.1 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 17.00 $
(23.59 C$)
12.25 $
(17.00 C$)
     -27.9 %
Childcare
Washington, DC Edit Calgary Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 2,498.25 $
(3,466.48 C$)
892.09 $
(1,237.83 C$)
     -64.3 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 40,166.67 $
(55,733.86 C$)
15,735.00 $
(21,833.33 C$)
     -60.8 %
Clothing And Shoes
Washington, DC Edit Calgary Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 79.98 $
(110.98 C$)
57.93 $
(80.38 C$)
     -27.6 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 50.97 $
(70.73 C$)
45.97 $
(63.79 C$)
     -9.8 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 105.01 $
(145.71 C$)
85.30 $
(118.35 C$)
     -18.8 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 137.65 $
(191.00 C$)
103.00 $
(142.92 C$)
     -25.2 %
Rent Per Month
Washington, DC Edit Calgary Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 2,518.27 $
(3,494.26 C$)
1,406.15 $
(1,951.12 C$)
     -44.2 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 2,084.33 $
(2,892.15 C$)
1,171.16 $
(1,625.07 C$)
     -43.8 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 5,784.38 $
(8,026.20 C$)
2,325.10 $
(3,226.23 C$)
     -59.8 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 4,071.47 $
(5,649.43 C$)
1,887.85 $
(2,619.52 C$)
     -53.6 %
Buy Apartment Price
Washington, DC Edit Calgary Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 700.01 $
(971.31 C$)
311.23 $
(431.85 C$)
     -55.5 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 566.57 $
(786.15 C$)
292.74 $
(406.19 C$)
     -48.3 %
Salaries And Financing
Washington, DC Edit Calgary Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 5,962.56 $
(8,273.45 C$)
2,987.52 $
(4,145.38 C$)
     -49.9 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 6.48 5.82      -10.2 %
Last update: April 2025April 2025
Contributors in the past 12 months:142306