Cost of Living Comparison Between Alert and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Alert and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,372 per month in Alert vs $2,433 in Calgary, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,387 per month in Alert vs $3,642 in Calgary, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,403 per month in Alert vs $4,850 in Calgary, rent included.

Alert is about 3% cheaper than Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alert and Calgary sit above the global median – Alert by 76%, Calgary by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.96 CA$23.24

$18.20 CA$24.93

-6.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$97.1

$70.0 CA$95.9

1.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 CA$15.07

$11.01 CA$15.09

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.75 CA$5.14

$3.73 CA$5.11

0.54%

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

$2.03 CA$2.78

$1.98 CA$2.71

2.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.27

$1.65 CA$2.26

0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.41 CA$7.41

$5.27 CA$7.22

2.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 CA$8.19

$6.65 CA$9.11

-10.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.87

$2.15 CA$2.94

-2.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.69

$2.68 CA$3.67

0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.80

$3.40 CA$4.66

2.94%

Eggs

$3.51 CA$4.80

$3.28 CA$4.49

7.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 CA$15.32

$14.65 CA$20.07

-23.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 CA$16.09

$12.61 CA$17.28

-6.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.94 CA$20.47

$16.13 CA$22.10

-7.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.70

$4.46 CA$6.11

-6.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.85

$1.34 CA$1.84

0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.08

$3.73 CA$5.11

-0.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$4.29 CA$5.88

-9.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 CA$3.29

$2.67 CA$3.65

-10.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.48

$2.61 CA$3.57

-2.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.60

$2.74 CA$3.76

-4.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.38

$1.90 CA$2.60

-8.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 CA$18.87

$14.98 CA$20.52

-8.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.02 CA$17.84

$14.30 CA$19.59

-8.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.00

$2.90 CA$3.97

0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.33

$3.97 CA$5.44

-20.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.21

$2.68 CA$3.67

-12.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 CA$87.0

$87.9 CA$120

-27.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.28

$3.57 CA$4.88

-12.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$1.99

$1.34 CA$1.84

8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.04 CA$35.68

$29.30 CA$40.15

-11.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.60

$1.13 CA$1.55

3.54%

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

$25.4K CA$34.7K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

0.96%

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

$20.5K CA$28.1K

$22.2K CA$30.4K

-7.52%

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

$142 CA$195

$218 CA$299

-34.67%

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

$43.49 CA$59.6

$41.44 CA$56.8

4.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 CA$84.1

$58.2 CA$79.7

5.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 CA$56.3

$53.7 CA$73.6

-23.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.36

$12.66 CA$17.34

-11.45%

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

$744 CA$1,019

$885 CA$1,212

-15.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.1K

$16.1K CA$22.0K

-26.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CA$74.7

$58.1 CA$79.6

-6.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.14 CA$55.0

$48.22 CA$66.1

-16.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 CA$119

$88.4 CA$121

-1.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$150

$106 CA$146

2.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 CA$1,791

$1,396 CA$1,913

-6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 CA$1,641

$1,186 CA$1,625

0.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,054 CA$2,815

$2,293 CA$3,142

-10.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 CA$2,511

$1,859 CA$2,547

-1.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 CA$5,487

$3,779 CA$5,178

5.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,770 CA$5,165

$3,509 CA$4,808

7.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,566 CA$4,885

$3,117 CA$4,271

14.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.71

13.13%

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

Last update for Alert: April 11, 2026

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,307 in Alert versus $1,396 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 14% higher in Alert, 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 in Alert versus $70 in Calgary. Groceries tell a different story – $367 in Alert vs $395 in Calgary – so Alert 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

Alert vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,372 in Alert, $2,433 in Calgary – roughly 3% apart. Calgary costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,557 per month in Alert and $3,650 in Calgary. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 8% more in Calgary, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Alert and $70.0 in Calgary. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alert, where all-in costs run around $2,372, than in Calgary at $2,433. In Alert it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calgary it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alert – 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 Alert. 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.