Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrie and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrie and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,585 in Barrie versus $2,481 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,673 in Barrie versus $3,599 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,761 in Barrie versus $4,716 in Calgary.

Living in Barrie is roughly 4% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrie 94% above, Calgary 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 CA$20.71

$18.64 CA$26.12

-20.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$104

$70.3 CA$98.5

5.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 CA$14.40

$11.26 CA$15.78

-8.79%

Cappuccino

$3.42 CA$4.79

$3.70 CA$5.19

-7.57%

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

$1.80 CA$2.52

$2.05 CA$2.88

-12.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.67 CA$2.34

-33.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 CA$8.83

$5.26 CA$7.37

19.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 CA$8.01

$6.74 CA$9.44

-15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$2.23 CA$3.12

22.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$2.75 CA$3.86

6.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.52

$3.28 CA$4.60

20.12%

Eggs

$3.04 CA$4.26

$3.40 CA$4.77

-10.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 CA$12.44

$14.45 CA$20.25

-38.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.49 CA$20.31

$12.58 CA$17.63

15.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.25 CA$35.38

$15.85 CA$22.20

59.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.21

$4.42 CA$6.19

-15.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.34 CA$1.88

-0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$3.84 CA$5.38

-24.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 CA$7.26

$4.33 CA$6.07

19.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$2.54 CA$3.57

-31.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.33

$2.73 CA$3.83

39.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 CA$3.97

$2.69 CA$3.77

5.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.90 CA$2.66

-12.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.76 CA$16.48

$14.81 CA$20.75

-20.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 CA$14.22

$14.43 CA$20.22

-29.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CA$3.40

$2.94 CA$4.12

-17.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CA$3.24

$3.98 CA$5.58

-41.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$2.70 CA$3.79

-1.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 CA$94.3

$88.3 CA$124

-23.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 CA$4.01

$3.42 CA$4.80

-16.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 CA$2.93

$1.31 CA$1.84

59.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.95 CA$36.37

$28.41 CA$39.82

-8.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.12 CA$1.57

1.79%

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

-0.67%

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

$20.4K CA$28.7K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

-5.88%

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

$196 CA$275

$210 CA$295

-6.73%

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

$42.36 CA$59.4

$41.33 CA$57.9

2.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 CA$107

$57.8 CA$81.1

31.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.31 CA$50.9

$55.3 CA$77.5

-34.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.57 CA$51.2

$52.2 CA$73.2

-30.00%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 CA$18.85

$12.47 CA$17.47

7.86%

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

$1,473 CA$2,065

$886 CA$1,242

66.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$15.9K CA$22.4K

-26.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 CA$98.2

$59.1 CA$82.8

18.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 CA$79.0

$47.08 CA$66.0

19.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 CA$199

$87.1 CA$122

63.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$110 CA$153

4.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 CA$1,980

$1,415 CA$1,982

-0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 CA$1,812

$1,180 CA$1,654

9.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,166 CA$3,035

$2,374 CA$3,327

-8.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 CA$2,569

$1,855 CA$2,599

-1.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,015 CA$7,028

$3,755 CA$5,262

33.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,205 CA$5,892

$3,479 CA$4,875

20.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,045 CA$4,267

$3,035 CA$4,253

0.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

5.71

16.11%

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

Last update for Barrie: July 25, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,413 in Barrie and $1,415 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrie pays 0% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Barrie vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $396 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

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

Barrie vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barrie and Calgary differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,585 vs $2,481 including rent). Calgary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Barrie, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,413 in Barrie versus $1,415 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Calgary runs roughly 31% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,473 in Barrie versus $886 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,481 in Calgary versus $2,585 in Barrie, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Barrie. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.