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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,256 per month in Abbotsford vs $2,462 in Calgary, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,289 per month in Abbotsford vs $3,628 in Calgary, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,321 per month in Abbotsford vs $4,795 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 69%, Calgary by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.50 CA$20.33

$18.33 CA$25.70

-20.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 CA$82.1

$69.9 CA$98.0

-16.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 CA$13.58

$10.95 CA$15.35

-11.51%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.45

$3.74 CA$5.24

4.01%

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

$2.03 CA$2.85

$2.04 CA$2.86

-0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$2.00

$1.67 CA$2.34

-14.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.23

$5.20 CA$7.29

12.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 CA$8.47

$6.71 CA$9.41

-9.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.22

$2.25 CA$3.15

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 CA$3.69

$2.75 CA$3.85

-4.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.32

$3.23 CA$4.53

17.34%

Eggs

$3.65 CA$5.12

$3.45 CA$4.83

5.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.62

$14.40 CA$20.19

-12.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.98 CA$19.61

$12.89 CA$18.07

8.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 CA$22.46

$15.86 CA$22.24

1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.07

$4.30 CA$6.02

0.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.85

$1.34 CA$1.88

-1.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.43

$3.85 CA$5.40

0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.32

$4.25 CA$5.97

-10.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.47

$2.55 CA$3.57

25.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.16

$2.62 CA$3.68

13.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.84

$2.80 CA$3.92

-2.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.53

$1.95 CA$2.73

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.33 CA$21.50

$14.97 CA$20.99

2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 CA$14.89

$13.90 CA$19.49

-23.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.35

$2.92 CA$4.10

6.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CA$5.22

$3.91 CA$5.48

-4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 CA$4.87

$2.74 CA$3.84

27.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.27 CA$67.7

$87.8 CA$123

-45.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.26

$3.60 CA$5.04

4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.30 CA$1.82

13.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.85 CA$36.25

$28.70 CA$40.24

-9.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.73

$1.12 CA$1.57

9.82%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

0.04%

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

$20.2K CA$28.3K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

-7.10%

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

$91.3 CA$128

$213 CA$299

-57.15%

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

$40.51 CA$56.8

$40.96 CA$57.4

-1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.0

$57.9 CA$81.2

4.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.04 CA$35.10

$54.2 CA$76.0

-53.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.17 CA$25.48

$53.8 CA$75.4

-66.20%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 CA$16.08

$12.63 CA$17.71

-9.18%

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

$532 CA$745

$874 CA$1,226

-39.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,171 CA$11.5K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-48.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.22 CA$66.2

$58.6 CA$82.2

-19.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.33 CA$49.54

$47.01 CA$65.9

-24.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 CA$116

$85.1 CA$119

-2.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$147

$108 CA$151

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 CA$1,925

$1,380 CA$1,935

-0.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 CA$1,686

$1,159 CA$1,625

3.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 CA$2,803

$2,324 CA$3,259

-13.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 CA$2,491

$1,905 CA$2,670

-6.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,724 CA$6,622

$3,786 CA$5,308

24.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,857 CA$4,006

$3,511 CA$4,922

-18.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,041 CA$4,263

$2,940 CA$4,121

3.44%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,373 in Abbotsford versus $1,380 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 3% 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: $391 vs $396 – 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: $2,256 in Abbotsford, $2,462 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 $3,384 per month in Abbotsford and $3,693 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 $2,256 in Abbotsford and $2,462 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 $2,256, than in Calgary at $2,462. 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.