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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,494 per month in Airdrie vs $2,462 in Calgary, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,531 per month in Airdrie vs $3,628 in Calgary, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,568 per month in Airdrie vs $4,795 in Calgary, rent included.

Airdrie costs about 1% more than Calgary, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Airdrie and Calgary sit above the global median – Airdrie by 87%, Calgary by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.34 CA$25.80

$18.33 CA$25.79

0.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$99.8

$69.9 CA$98.3

1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.73

$10.95 CA$15.41

2.10%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.23

$3.74 CA$5.26

-0.80%

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

$1.97 CA$2.77

$2.04 CA$2.87

-3.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.42

$1.67 CA$2.35

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 CA$8.18

$5.20 CA$7.32

11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 CA$8.48

$6.71 CA$9.45

-10.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.83

$2.25 CA$3.16

-10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.82

$2.75 CA$3.87

-1.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 CA$4.33

$3.23 CA$4.54

-4.64%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$5.02

$3.45 CA$4.85

3.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 CA$16.97

$14.40 CA$20.26

-16.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.55 CA$17.66

$12.89 CA$18.13

-2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.21 CA$22.81

$15.86 CA$22.32

2.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.08

$4.30 CA$6.05

0.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.80

$1.34 CA$1.89

-4.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.38

$3.85 CA$5.42

-0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.11

$4.25 CA$5.99

-14.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.39

$2.55 CA$3.58

-5.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$2.62 CA$3.69

-16.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$2.80 CA$3.94

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 CA$2.73

$1.95 CA$2.74

-0.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.69 CA$20.67

$14.97 CA$21.06

-1.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 CA$17.05

$13.90 CA$19.57

-12.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$4.01

$2.92 CA$4.11

-2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 CA$4.49

$3.91 CA$5.50

-18.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$2.74 CA$3.85

-13.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$88.5

$87.8 CA$124

-28.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 CA$4.42

$3.60 CA$5.06

-12.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.30 CA$1.83

4.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.50 CA$33.07

$28.70 CA$40.39

-18.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 CA$1.47

$1.12 CA$1.57

-7.14%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-1.18%

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

$21.5K CA$30.2K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-1.31%

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

$209 CA$295

$213 CA$300

-1.72%

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

$41.09 CA$57.8

$40.96 CA$57.6

0.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 CA$82.7

$57.9 CA$81.5

1.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.8 CA$126

$54.2 CA$76.2

65.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.1 CA$83.2

$53.8 CA$75.6

9.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.42 CA$18.89

$12.63 CA$17.77

6.25%

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

$701 CA$987

$874 CA$1,230

-19.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.4K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-26.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.75 CA$68.6

$58.6 CA$82.5

-16.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.08 CA$59.2

$47.01 CA$66.2

-10.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 CA$114

$85.1 CA$120

-4.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$147

$108 CA$151

-2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 CA$1,835

$1,380 CA$1,942

-5.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 CA$1,666

$1,159 CA$1,631

2.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 CA$2,595

$2,324 CA$3,270

-20.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CA$2,267

$1,905 CA$2,680

-15.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,078 CA$8,552

$3,786 CA$5,327

60.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,141 CA$8,640

$3,511 CA$4,940

74.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,900 CA$4,080

$2,940 CA$4,136

-1.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.71

6.48%

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

Last update for Airdrie: July 11, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,304 in Airdrie 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 1% 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 $71.0 in Airdrie versus $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries tell a different story – $375 in Airdrie vs $396 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: $2,494 in Airdrie, $2,462 in Calgary – roughly 1% apart. Airdrie costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,741 per month in Airdrie 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 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 $2,494 in Airdrie and $2,462 in Calgary. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 40% 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 $2,462, than in Airdrie at $2,494. 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.