Cost of Living Comparison Between Airdrie and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Airdrie and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,564 per month in Airdrie vs $2,269 in Calgary, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,737 per month in Airdrie vs $3,418 in Calgary, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,910 per month in Airdrie vs $4,567 in Calgary, rent included.

Airdrie costs about 13% more than Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Airdrie and Calgary sit above the global median – Airdrie by 90%, Calgary by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.43 CA$27.27

$18.17 CA$25.50

6.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 CA$109

$70.3 CA$98.6

10.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 CA$15.15

$10.84 CA$15.22

-0.46%

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.64

$3.80 CA$5.34

5.79%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$1.97 CA$2.76

9.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.66

$1.79 CA$2.51

6.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 CA$7.09

$5.13 CA$7.20

-1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 CA$7.91

$5.55 CA$7.79

1.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 CA$2.67

$1.90 CA$2.66

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.79

$2.62 CA$3.68

3.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.97

$5.43 CA$7.62

-34.81%

Eggs

$3.73 CA$5.24

$3.73 CA$5.23

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 CA$15.77

$11.49 CA$16.13

-2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 CA$15.91

$11.35 CA$15.92

-0.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.96 CA$25.20

$18.61 CA$26.12

-3.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 CA$6.67

$4.90 CA$6.88

-3.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.42 CA$1.99

-6.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.23

$4.29 CA$6.02

3.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.62

$4.10 CA$5.76

-2.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$2.62 CA$3.68

1.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.94

$2.94 CA$4.13

-4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.66

$2.57 CA$3.60

1.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.56

$1.57 CA$2.20

16.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.49 CA$20.34

$14.50 CA$20.35

-0.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 CA$16.17

$15.39 CA$21.59

-25.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.04

$2.49 CA$3.50

44.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CA$4.40

$3.19 CA$4.47

-1.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$2.79 CA$3.91

-24.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$175 CA$246

$91.1 CA$128

92.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.39

$3.11 CA$4.37

0.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.40 CA$1.97

-3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.98 CA$29.44

$27.51 CA$38.60

-23.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.58

$1.19 CA$1.67

-5.88%

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

$27.8K CA$38.9K

$28.7K CA$40.3K

-3.32%

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

$20.0K CA$28.1K

$20.6K CA$28.9K

-2.52%

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

$225 CA$316

$183 CA$257

23.10%

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

$39.66 CA$55.7

$38.97 CA$54.7

1.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 CA$77.8

$51.7 CA$72.6

7.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.1 CA$121

$54.5 CA$76.5

58.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.13 CA$49.30

$18.18 CA$25.51

93.23%

Cinema Ticket

$14.41 CA$20.23

$14.07 CA$19.75

2.42%

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

$761 CA$1,068

$793 CA$1,113

-4.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,547 CA$13.4K

$16.3K CA$22.9K

-41.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.57 CA$62.5

$58.9 CA$82.6

-24.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.84 CA$60.1

$40.65 CA$57.1

5.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 CA$122

$91.7 CA$129

-5.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$154

$111 CA$156

-1.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 CA$1,810

$1,228 CA$1,723

5.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 CA$1,573

$1,039 CA$1,458

7.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 CA$2,537

$1,928 CA$2,705

-6.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 CA$2,347

$1,712 CA$2,402

-2.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,184 CA$8,677

$3,528 CA$4,951

75.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,019 CA$8,446

$3,414 CA$4,791

76.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,886 CA$4,050

$3,234 CA$4,538

-10.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.48

-3.57%

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

Last update for Airdrie: September 20, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,290 in Airdrie versus $1,228 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 12% higher in Calgary, 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 $77.0 in Airdrie versus $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries tell a different story – $382 in Airdrie vs $392 in Calgary – so Airdrie wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Airdrie vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,564 in Airdrie, $2,269 in Calgary – roughly 13% apart. Airdrie costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,845 per month in Airdrie and $3,404 in Calgary. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,564 in Airdrie and $2,269 in Calgary. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 92% less in Calgary. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Calgary, where all-in costs run around $2,269, than in Airdrie at $2,564. In Calgary it covers expenses comfortably, while in Airdrie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calgary – 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 Calgary. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Airdrie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.