Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,724 per month in Burlington vs $2,462 in Calgary, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,059 per month in Burlington vs $3,628 in Calgary, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,393 per month in Burlington vs $4,795 in Calgary, rent included.

Burlington costs about 11% more than Calgary, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Burlington and Calgary sit above the global median – Burlington by 104%, Calgary by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 CA$28.18

$18.33 CA$25.79

9.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$103

$69.9 CA$98.3

4.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.34

$10.95 CA$15.41

-0.46%

Cappuccino

$3.66 CA$5.15

$3.74 CA$5.26

-2.14%

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

$1.94 CA$2.73

$2.04 CA$2.87

-4.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$1.67 CA$2.35

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 CA$8.40

$5.20 CA$7.32

14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.36

$6.71 CA$9.45

-0.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CA$2.91

$2.25 CA$3.16

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CA$4.26

$2.75 CA$3.87

10.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.17

$3.23 CA$4.54

35.60%

Eggs

$3.03 CA$4.26

$3.45 CA$4.85

-12.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.32

$14.40 CA$20.26

-4.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 CA$12.51

$12.89 CA$18.13

-31.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.96 CA$30.90

$15.86 CA$22.32

38.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.87

$4.30 CA$6.05

-19.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.34 CA$1.89

3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.12

$3.85 CA$5.42

-5.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.00

$4.25 CA$5.99

-16.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$2.55 CA$3.58

-23.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$2.62 CA$3.69

-31.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$2.80 CA$3.94

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$1.95 CA$2.74

5.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$14.97 CA$21.06

0.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 CA$17.30

$13.90 CA$19.57

-11.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.92 CA$4.11

-15.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.15

$3.91 CA$5.50

-42.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.24 CA$4.55

$2.74 CA$3.85

18.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CA$146

$87.8 CA$124

17.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 CA$3.29

$3.60 CA$5.06

-35.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.42

$1.30 CA$1.83

32.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.29 CA$62.3

$28.70 CA$40.39

54.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$1.12 CA$1.57

3.57%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-1.81%

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

$21.6K CA$30.4K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-0.65%

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

$133 CA$187

$213 CA$300

-37.56%

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

$53.1 CA$74.8

$40.96 CA$57.6

29.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 CA$86.6

$57.9 CA$81.5

6.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 CA$65.9

$54.2 CA$76.2

-13.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.90 CA$32.22

$53.8 CA$75.6

-57.40%

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 CA$15.41

$12.63 CA$17.77

-13.30%

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

$947 CA$1,332

$874 CA$1,230

8.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K CA$34.6K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

55.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 CA$86.7

$58.6 CA$82.5

5.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 CA$96.4

$47.01 CA$66.2

45.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 CA$122

$85.1 CA$120

2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 CA$193

$108 CA$151

27.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 CA$2,414

$1,380 CA$1,942

24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 CA$2,083

$1,159 CA$1,631

27.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,722 CA$3,830

$2,324 CA$3,270

17.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 CA$3,427

$1,905 CA$2,680

27.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,331 CA$7,502

$3,786 CA$5,327

40.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,338 CA$6,104

$3,511 CA$4,940

23.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,413 CA$4,802

$2,940 CA$4,136

16.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

5.71

12.08%

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

Last update for Burlington: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,716 in Burlington 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 16% higher in Burlington, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Burlington versus $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries tell a different story – $374 in Burlington vs $396 in Calgary – so Burlington 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

Burlington vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,086 per month in Burlington 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.

Kindergarten costs $947 per month in Burlington and $874 in Calgary. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Burlington – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Calgary, where all-in costs run around $2,462, than in Burlington at $2,724. In Calgary it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burlington 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, Burlington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.