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: $2,544 in Barrie versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,542 in Barrie versus $3,470 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,540 in Barrie versus $4,597 in Calgary.

Living in Barrie is roughly 9% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrie 86% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.68 CA$20.53

$17.68 CA$24.74

-16.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 CA$79.7

$71.2 CA$99.6

-19.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 CA$15.88

$10.85 CA$15.18

4.61%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.23

$3.85 CA$5.39

-2.86%

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

$1.94 CA$2.71

$1.95 CA$2.73

-0.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$1.79 CA$2.51

-19.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 CA$7.21

$4.97 CA$6.95

3.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 CA$7.87

$5.90 CA$8.25

-4.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$1.84 CA$2.58

14.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$2.73 CA$3.82

-5.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.76

$5.44 CA$7.60

-50.55%

Eggs

$3.13 CA$4.38

$3.63 CA$5.07

-13.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.13

$11.55 CA$16.15

-12.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.64 CA$20.48

$11.57 CA$16.19

26.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.79 CA$31.89

$18.94 CA$26.50

20.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.64

$4.95 CA$6.92

-18.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 CA$1.67

$1.42 CA$1.98

-16.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.47

$4.22 CA$5.90

-24.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.65

$4.09 CA$5.72

-1.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$2.56 CA$3.58

-56.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$2.82 CA$3.95

-51.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.57 CA$3.59

-13.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.41

$1.55 CA$2.16

10.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.60 CA$16.23

$14.59 CA$20.41

-20.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 CA$14.38

$15.60 CA$21.83

-34.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.50

$2.58 CA$3.61

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$3.23 CA$4.52

-31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 CA$3.49

$2.96 CA$4.14

-15.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 CA$90.6

$91.1 CA$127

-28.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$5.00

$3.17 CA$4.43

12.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.39 CA$1.95

-21.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.51

$1.25 CA$1.75

-13.60%

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

$29.0K CA$40.6K

$28.3K CA$39.6K

2.54%

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

$21.4K CA$29.9K

$21.3K CA$29.8K

0.33%

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

$236 CA$330

$178 CA$249

32.60%

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

$36.33 CA$50.8

$39.31 CA$55.0

-7.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.4 CA$110

$50.9 CA$71.2

54.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 CA$57.6

$54.7 CA$76.5

-24.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.41 CA$49.53

$18.77 CA$26.25

88.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.89 CA$18.03

$14.55 CA$20.36

-11.41%

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

$1,456 CA$2,037

$812 CA$1,135

79.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 CA$89.4

$59.4 CA$83.1

7.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.65 CA$63.9

$40.33 CA$56.4

13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CA$211

$92.2 CA$129

63.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 CA$119

$113 CA$158

-24.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 CA$2,039

$1,284 CA$1,796

13.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 CA$1,798

$1,018 CA$1,424

26.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 CA$2,926

$1,977 CA$2,766

5.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 CA$2,478

$1,746 CA$2,443

1.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,084 CA$7,112

$3,571 CA$4,995

42.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,301 CA$6,017

$3,359 CA$4,698

28.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,093 CA$4,326

$3,213 CA$4,495

-3.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.48

4.46%

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

Last update for Barrie: September 15, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,458 in Barrie and $1,284 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $57.0 in Barrie vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $395 per month, with Barrie 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 9% in total monthly costs ($2,544 vs $2,344 including rent). Calgary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Calgary. 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: $1,458 in Barrie versus $1,284 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 41% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,456 in Barrie versus $812 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,544 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 9% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.