Cost of Living Comparison Between Armstrong and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Armstrong and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Armstrong versus $2,433 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Armstrong versus $3,642 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,506 in Armstrong versus $4,850 in Calgary.

Monthly costs are close between Armstrong and Calgary; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Armstrong 81% above, Calgary 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.21 CA$30.42

$18.20 CA$24.93

22.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$97.3

$70.0 CA$95.9

1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.00

$11.01 CA$15.09

-0.54%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.07

$3.73 CA$5.11

-0.80%

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

$2.62 CA$3.59

$1.98 CA$2.71

32.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.62

$1.65 CA$2.26

15.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.19

$5.27 CA$7.22

13.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 CA$9.10

$6.65 CA$9.11

-0.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.15 CA$2.94

29.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 CA$3.48

$2.68 CA$3.67

-5.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

Eggs

$3.82 CA$5.23

$3.28 CA$4.49

16.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 CA$13.62

$14.65 CA$20.07

-32.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 CA$14.52

$12.61 CA$17.28

-15.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.82 CA$21.68

$16.13 CA$22.10

-1.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.27

$4.46 CA$6.11

-13.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 CA$2.36

$1.34 CA$1.84

28.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$3.73 CA$5.11

7.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.58

$4.29 CA$5.88

-4.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.64

$2.67 CA$3.65

-0.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CA$3.05

$2.61 CA$3.57

-14.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 CA$3.87

$2.74 CA$3.76

3.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.40

$1.90 CA$2.60

-7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.37 CA$18.32

$14.98 CA$20.52

-10.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 CA$18.15

$14.30 CA$19.59

-7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 CA$4.76

$2.90 CA$3.97

19.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 CA$5.28

$3.97 CA$5.44

-3.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.20

$2.68 CA$3.67

-13.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 CA$86.7

$87.9 CA$120

-28.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 CA$3.41

$3.57 CA$4.88

-30.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 CA$2.28

$1.34 CA$1.84

23.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.76 CA$17.48

$29.30 CA$40.15

-56.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.74

$1.13 CA$1.55

12.39%

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

$24.9K CA$34.2K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

-0.72%

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

$20.0K CA$27.4K

$22.2K CA$30.4K

-9.91%

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

$163 CA$224

$218 CA$299

-25.04%

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

$45.14 CA$61.8

$41.44 CA$56.8

8.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 CA$87.1

$58.2 CA$79.7

9.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 CA$57.5

$53.7 CA$73.6

-21.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 CA$14.60

$12.66 CA$17.34

-15.80%

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

$444 CA$609

$885 CA$1,212

-49.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,116 CA$5,639

$16.1K CA$22.0K

-74.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 CA$83.3

$58.1 CA$79.6

4.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.10 CA$53.6

$48.22 CA$66.1

-18.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 CA$112

$88.4 CA$121

-7.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 CA$107

$106 CA$146

-26.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 CA$1,798

$1,396 CA$1,913

-5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 CA$1,601

$1,186 CA$1,625

-1.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 CA$2,778

$2,293 CA$3,142

-11.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 CA$2,497

$1,859 CA$2,547

-1.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,275 CA$5,856

$3,779 CA$5,178

13.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,225 CA$4,419

$3,509 CA$4,808

-8.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,096 CA$1,501

$3,117 CA$4,271

-64.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

5.71

11.38%

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

Last update for Armstrong: April 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,313 in Armstrong and $1,396 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 185% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71 in Armstrong vs $70 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 vs $395, with Armstrong cheaper for home cooking.

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

Armstrong vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Calgary earns 185% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,313 in Armstrong versus $1,396 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Armstrong runs roughly 39% less than in Calgary. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Calgary. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,433 in Armstrong versus $2,433 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Armstrong but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Armstrong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Armstrong wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.