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Living in Calgary vs Toronto: Which one is suitable for you

Living in Calgary vs Toronto: Which one is better for you? [Including Cost of Living & Salary]

“Is it better living in Calgary vs Toronto?” That’s what you want to know, isn’t it? When deciding where to live, take into account what you are looking for in your desired city and how you want to live your life there.

On top of that, you can’t escape a MISSION in which you must select a city to live in while you are quite skeptical. Almost everyone goes through the same situation at the end of their selection process. So, you are not alone.

Trust me, it is easy to remove options that do not match your expectations. But if you have shortlisted 2 cities and they are both competing for your attention, then it can be quite difficult for you to pick the best city for your needs without expert guidance.

Therefore, I am here to share the necessary information and what to consider before choosing the right city for you.

We are going to scratch together on the surface of the Wall of Silence.

Table of content

  • Basic Information About Living in Calgary vs Toronto City
  • Living in Calgary vs. Toronto: Differences to Consider
    • Weather
    • Education
  • Living in Calgary vs. Toronto: Cost of Living As A Canadian Citizen
    • Rent/Housing & Other Costs
    • Income Tax Rate
    • Cost of Public Transport
  • 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Calgary & Toronto
  • Conclusion

Basic Information About Living in Calgary vs Toronto City

Which city do you prefer to live in, Toronto or Calgary? Let the answer sit for a while if you aren’t sure. Start by reading the basic information about Calgary and Toronto.

Brief of Calgary

  • Calgary is the largest city in the province of Alberta.
  • Size: 825.3 km²
  • Founded: 1875
  • Population: 1.336 million (2017)
  • Most populous city in Alberta.
  • Major Airport: Calgary International Airport
Calgary city
  • Major industries: Financial Services, Manufacturing, Energy, Health And Wellness, Technology, & Tourism.
  • Ranked for: ”Most Livable City in North America” (2018, 2019)
  • GDP (Calgary CMA): CA$76.5 billion (2021)

Brief of Toronto

  • Toronto city is the capital of Ontario.
  • Size: 630.2 km²
  • Incorporated as Toronto: 1834
  • Population: 2.93 million (2017)
  • Most populous city in Ontario.
Toronto city
  • Major industries: Finance, Aerospace, Business, Food & Beverage, Life Science, Tech etc.
  • Major Airport: Toronto Pearson International Airport, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
  • Ranked for: 8th in the EIU’s Global Liveability Ranking (2022); [The Global Liveability Index 2022 – The Economist Intelligence Unit]
  • GDP (Toronto CMA): CA$385.1 billion (2016)

Living in Calgary vs Toronto: Differences to Consider

Weather

Table 1: Check the following table for the brief on weather (Calgary Vs. Toronto) –

 

Calgary

Toronto

Weather Type

Dry cold

Extreme weather

Temperature range

January: -3 to -14°C (26 to 6.8°F).

April:  -2 to 11°C (28 to 52°F).

July: 10 to 23°C (50 to 73 °F).

October: 0 to 12°C (32 to 54°F)

January: From -7 to 0°C (19 – 32°F).

April: 4 -12 °C (39 – 56°F).

July: 18 – 27°C (64 – 80 °F).

October: 7 – 14°C (44 – 57°F)

Warmest Month

July

July

Coldest Month

January

January

Wettest Month

June

June

Daylight hours

Highest: 15.5 hrs (June)

Lowest: 8.9 hrs (December)

Highest: 15.4 hrs (June)

Lowest: 9 hrs (December)

Education

Calgary

Calgary Board of Education is the authority of education programs in Calgary. To learn more, check their website here.

The following programs are available under this education board –

  • Preschool (For 3-5-year-old children)
  • Kindergarten (at least 5 years old as of December 31)
  • Elementary (kindergarten to Grade 6)
  • Middle Years (Ages 10-15)
  • High School (High School Information Guides)
  • Adult Education

About the best university in Calgary: The University of Calgary

Category: Public research university

Founded in: 1908

Rank: National Rank #7 (2022), Global rank #169 (2022)

 

**My opinion: Not only The University of Calgary is available here. There are some other quality universities available like Mount Royal University, Ambrose University, Alberta University of the Arts, etc. Ready to take admission? Calgary is waiting for you.

Toronto

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is the authority for education programs in Toronto, Ontario. Check TDSB website for more information.

  • 583 schools (including 110 secondary schools and 451 elementary schools) across Toronto.
  • Education program for all students: From junior kindergarten to grade 12.

About the best university in Toronto: the University of Toronto, also known as U of T.

Category: Public research university.

Founded in: 1827 named King’s College by Royal charter.

Rank: National Rank #1 (2022), Global rank is #16 (2022)

**My opinion: Toronto also offers quality universities like Toronto Metropolitan University [previously operating as Ryerson University] (#25 in Canada, #933 Global Ranking), York University (#17 in Canada, #456 Global Ranking) etc. Are you a student & have enough interest to enroll here? Well make a plan – move to Toronto.

Living in Calgary vs Toronto: Cost of Living As A Canadian Citizen

Rent/Housing & Other Costs

Table 2: The following table shows the comparison of living cost among two cities, Calgary and Toronto –

 

Average cost in Calgary

Average cost in Toronto

Studio

$915 – $1075

$1200 – $1800

1 Bedroom

$1025 – $1400

$1400 – $2400

2 Bedroom

$1150 – $1900

$1800 – $3700

3+ Bedroom

$1600 – $2400

$2000 – $4500

Home Insurance Rates

$23 – $167

$45 – $174

Car Insurance Rates

$1316

$1528

Phone & internet

$75-80

$127

Groceries

$214 – $300

$280 – $350

Fitness and Personal Care

$65

$55

 *Note: The Cost of groceries is getting higher day by day due to the inflation of recent years after the pandemic and the Ukraine crisis. So, it could be varied on the stability of economic sustainability of the time you are reading this article.

Income Tax Rate

Calgary is located in the province of Alberta & Toronto is in the Ontario province. Due to Canadian provincial law, income taxes in Calgary & Toronto differ.

Table 3: The name of provinces & the range of income tax rates for Calgary and Toronto city as follows –

 

Calgary

Toronto

City under the province

Calgary is a city in the province of Alberta.

Toronto is a city in the province of Ontario.

Income Tax Range

The income tax rate ranges from 10% to 15%

The income tax rate ranges from 5.05% to 13.16%

Detailed Income Tax Rate

●       10% on the taxable income of $131,220 or less, plus

●       12% on the taxable income, which is more than $131,220 but not exceeding $157,464, plus

●       13% on the taxable income, which is more than $157,464 not exceeding $209,952, plus

●       14% on the taxable income, which is more than $209,952 not exceeding $314,928, plus

●       15% on the taxable income, which is more than $314,928

●       5.05% on the taxable income of $46,226 or less, plus

●       9.15% on the taxable income, which is more than $46,226 but not exceeding $92,454, plus

●       11.16% on the taxable income, which is more than $92,454 but not exceeding $150,000, plus

●       12.16% on the taxable income, which is more than $150,000 but not exceeding $220,000, plus

●       13.16% on the taxable income, which is more than $220,000

Cost of Public Transport

Calgary

Calgary city has convenient transit options. The fare rates are clearly stated on the website. If you want to save money on public transport, check Calgary Pathways & Bikeways. And if you are interested in the Calgary transit statistics, here you go. 

Table 4: Calgary Public Transport Cost

Fare Rates

Category

Cash fares

[Validity: 90 minutes]

Tickets (cash fares bought in books of 10)

Adult [Age limit: 18 & older]

$3.50

$35.00

Youth [Age limit: 6 – 17], full time students [Age limit: 18 to 21]

$2.40

$24.00

Children [Age limit: 5 and under]

 

Free

Free

Passes

Category

Day Pass [Validity: From the time of purchase until

the end of service that day]

Monthly Pass [Validity: For 1 calendar month]

Adult [Age limit: 18 & older]

$11.00

$109.00

Youth [Age limit: 6 – 17]

$8

$79.00

Special

Airport

$11 [Route: From Calgary International Airport to Downtown, provided by Route 300)

Low Income Monthly Pass

Amount is based on your income

Senior monthly regular [Age limit: 65 & above]

$150

Senior monthly low income [Age limit: 65 & above]

$25

Pets

Free

Calgary

Table 5: Toronto Public Transport Cost

Methods of payment

For Adult

Age(13-19) & Age 65+

Cash

$3.25

$2.30

PRESTO

$3.20

$2.25

TTC Monthly Pass

$156

$128.15

12-Month Pass

$ 143

$ 117.45

Downtown Express Monthly Pass

$201.90

$174.05

12-Month Downtown Express Monthly Pass

$188

$163.35

Best Neighbourhoods for Living in Calgary vs Toronto

5 Best Neighbourhoods (Out of 195) to Live in Calgary:

  • Altadore
  • Beltline
  • Edgemont
  • Bridgeland
  • Brentwood

The North West area is surely more well-served by the C-Train than the Southwest. You will find more open spaces or biking roads like Nose Hill Park in the Northwest region.

Calgary Airport is located in the North East region. Note that the crime rate is higher in the North East region. If possible, try to avoid this region. Southeast Calgary is renowned as an industrial hub.

5 Best Neighbourhoods (Out of 158) to Live in Toronto:

  • Lawrence Park Area
  • Iroquois
  • Curran Hall
  • Bendale
  • Willowdale East

Pick one that is closest to your workplace & schools of your kids.

Want to learn more about these 5 best neighborhoods? Read the following blog:

5 Neighborhoods with the Best Elementary Schools in Toronto [Shouldn’t Ignore #2]

Conclusion

The important information about living in Calgary vs. Toronto is now at your fingertips. No other information is required to answer the question – “Which one is suitable for you?”

So, best wishes for your new destination.

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