Cost of Living Comparison Between Abbotsford and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Abbotsford and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,309 per month in Abbotsford vs $2,523 in Calgary, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Abbotsford vs $3,652 in Calgary, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,239 per month in Abbotsford vs $4,780 in Calgary, rent included.

Abbotsford is about 8% cheaper than Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Abbotsford and Calgary sit above the global median – Abbotsford by 72%, Calgary by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.76 CA$20.44

$18.59 CA$25.74

-20.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 CA$81.2

$70.0 CA$97.0

-16.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 CA$13.03

$10.96 CA$15.17

-14.14%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.33

$3.73 CA$5.17

3.22%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 CA$2.68

$1.99 CA$2.75

-2.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.72 CA$2.39

-15.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 CA$8.23

$5.01 CA$6.94

18.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CA$8.37

$6.50 CA$9.01

-6.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.21

$2.22 CA$3.08

4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.85

$2.67 CA$3.69

4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.14

$3.26 CA$4.52

13.80%

Eggs

$3.60 CA$4.98

$3.35 CA$4.64

7.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.66 CA$17.53

$14.50 CA$20.07

-12.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.88 CA$19.21

$12.95 CA$17.93

7.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.83 CA$21.92

$16.15 CA$22.36

-1.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.85

$4.32 CA$5.98

-2.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.35 CA$1.88

-6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.47

$3.83 CA$5.30

3.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.22

$4.18 CA$5.79

-9.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$2.65 CA$3.67

13.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.14

$2.74 CA$3.79

9.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.76 CA$3.82

-1.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$1.95 CA$2.70

-2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.55 CA$21.52

$14.98 CA$20.74

3.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.89 CA$15.08

$14.67 CA$20.31

-25.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$2.84 CA$3.94

8.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 CA$5.02

$4.02 CA$5.56

-9.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 CA$4.79

$2.80 CA$3.88

23.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.02 CA$66.5

$86.2 CA$119

-44.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 CA$5.01

$3.60 CA$4.99

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.32 CA$1.82

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 CA$36.33

$29.01 CA$40.17

-9.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$1.12 CA$1.55

14.29%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.8K CA$34.3K

$24.9K CA$34.4K

-0.36%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.0K CA$27.7K

$22.0K CA$30.4K

-8.87%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$89.4 CA$124

$217 CA$301

-58.83%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$40.51 CA$56.1

$41.55 CA$57.5

-2.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 CA$85.0

$58.1 CA$80.4

5.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.13 CA$34.80

$54.7 CA$75.8

-54.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 CA$25.55

$52.8 CA$73.1

-65.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.34 CA$15.70

$12.77 CA$17.68

-11.20%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$542 CA$751

$874 CA$1,210

-37.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,175 CA$11.3K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

-48.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.18 CA$65.3

$58.8 CA$81.5

-19.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.94 CA$49.76

$46.47 CA$64.4

-22.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 CA$113

$87.2 CA$121

-6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$144

$109 CA$151

-4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 CA$1,916

$1,414 CA$1,957

-2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 CA$1,655

$1,172 CA$1,623

1.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,054 CA$2,844

$2,319 CA$3,211

-11.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 CA$2,472

$1,886 CA$2,612

-5.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,706 CA$6,515

$3,892 CA$5,389

20.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,896 CA$4,010

$3,503 CA$4,851

-17.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,194 CA$4,422

$3,149 CA$4,360

1.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

5.71

-1.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Abbotsford: June 1, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,384 in Abbotsford versus $1,414 in Calgary. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Abbotsford, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Abbotsford versus $70.0 in Calgary. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $397 – making Abbotsford the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Abbotsford vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,309 in Abbotsford, $2,523 in Calgary – roughly 9% apart. Calgary costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,463 per month in Abbotsford and $3,785 in Calgary. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abbotsford, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Abbotsford and $70.0 in Calgary. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,309 in Abbotsford and $2,523 in Calgary. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Abbotsford, where all-in costs run around $2,309, than in Calgary at $2,523. In Abbotsford it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calgary it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abbotsford – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Abbotsford. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Calgary makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.