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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,778 per month in Burlington vs $2,523 in Calgary, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,107 per month in Burlington vs $3,652 in Calgary, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,436 per month in Burlington vs $4,780 in Calgary, rent included.

Burlington costs about 10% more than Calgary, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Burlington and Calgary sit above the global median – Burlington by 107%, Calgary by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 CA$28.02

$18.59 CA$25.86

8.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$104

$70.0 CA$97.4

6.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.11

$3.73 CA$5.19

-1.61%

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

$2.01 CA$2.80

$1.99 CA$2.77

1.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$1.72 CA$2.40

0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.14

$5.01 CA$6.97

16.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 CA$9.09

$6.50 CA$9.05

0.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CA$2.76

$2.22 CA$3.09

-10.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$2.67 CA$3.71

14.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.99

$3.26 CA$4.54

32.21%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.43

$3.35 CA$4.66

-4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.98

$14.50 CA$20.16

-5.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 CA$12.72

$12.95 CA$18.01

-29.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.94 CA$30.51

$16.15 CA$22.46

35.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.81

$4.32 CA$6.01

-19.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.35 CA$1.88

5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.83 CA$5.32

-2.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.86

$4.18 CA$5.81

-16.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$2.65 CA$3.68

-26.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$2.74 CA$3.81

-34.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$2.76 CA$3.84

-23.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.95 CA$2.71

2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 CA$20.50

$14.98 CA$20.83

-1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.56

$14.67 CA$20.40

-13.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.29

$2.84 CA$3.95

-16.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$4.02 CA$5.59

-42.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.80 CA$3.90

21.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CA$146

$86.2 CA$120

22.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 CA$3.22

$3.60 CA$5.01

-35.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.32 CA$1.83

28.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.79 CA$60.9

$29.01 CA$40.35

50.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.12 CA$1.56

4.46%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

1.10%

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

$21.4K CA$29.8K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-2.53%

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

$131 CA$182

$217 CA$302

-39.86%

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

$53.2 CA$74.0

$41.55 CA$57.8

28.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 CA$86.3

$58.1 CA$80.8

6.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 CA$63.2

$54.7 CA$76.1

-16.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.28 CA$32.38

$52.8 CA$73.5

-55.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 CA$15.60

$12.77 CA$17.75

-12.14%

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

$952 CA$1,324

$874 CA$1,215

8.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K CA$33.3K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

50.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 CA$86.4

$58.8 CA$81.8

5.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 CA$96.5

$46.47 CA$64.6

49.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$122

$87.2 CA$121

0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 CA$189

$109 CA$151

25.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CA$2,410

$1,414 CA$1,966

22.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 CA$2,045

$1,172 CA$1,630

25.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 CA$3,671

$2,319 CA$3,225

13.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CA$3,393

$1,886 CA$2,623

29.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,745 CA$7,989

$3,892 CA$5,413

47.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,546 CA$6,322

$3,503 CA$4,872

29.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,278 CA$4,559

$3,149 CA$4,380

4.11%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,733 in Burlington versus $1,414 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 4% 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 $74.0 in Burlington versus $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries tell a different story – $375 in Burlington vs $397 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 10%, 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 $4,167 per month in Burlington and $3,785 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 $952 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,778 in Burlington and $2,523 in Calgary. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.