Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Abbotsford Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Abbotsford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,462 per month in Calgary vs $2,256 in Abbotsford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,628 per month in Calgary vs $3,289 in Abbotsford, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,795 per month in Calgary vs $4,321 in Abbotsford, rent included.

Calgary costs about 9% more than Abbotsford, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Calgary and Abbotsford sit above the global median – Calgary by 84%, Abbotsford by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$14.50 CA$20.40

26.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$58.6 CA$82.4

19.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$9.69 CA$13.63

13.00%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$3.89 CA$5.47

-3.86%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$2.03 CA$2.86

0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.43 CA$2.01

16.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$5.87 CA$8.26

-11.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$6.04 CA$8.50

11.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$2.30 CA$3.23

-2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.63 CA$3.70

4.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$3.79 CA$5.34

-14.78%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$3.65 CA$5.14

-5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$12.57 CA$17.68

14.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$13.98 CA$19.68

-7.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$16.02 CA$22.55

-1.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$4.33 CA$6.09

-0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.32 CA$1.85

1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$3.87 CA$5.45

-0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$3.80 CA$5.34

11.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$3.19 CA$4.49

-20.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$2.97 CA$4.17

-11.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$2.74 CA$3.85

2.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.80 CA$2.53

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$15.33 CA$21.58

-2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$10.62 CA$14.95

30.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$3.10 CA$4.36

-5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$3.72 CA$5.24

5.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$3.48 CA$4.89

-21.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$48.27 CA$67.9

81.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.76 CA$5.28

-4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.48 CA$2.09

-12.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$25.85 CA$36.38

11.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.23 CA$1.74

-8.94%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$25.5K CA$35.9K

-0.04%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$20.2K CA$28.4K

7.64%

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

$213 CA$300

$91.3 CA$128

133.39%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$40.51 CA$57.0

1.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$60.6 CA$85.3

-4.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$25.04 CA$35.23

116.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$18.17 CA$25.57

195.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$11.47 CA$16.14

10.11%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$532 CA$748

64.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$8,171 CA$11.5K

94.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$47.22 CA$66.5

24.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$35.33 CA$49.72

33.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$82.6 CA$116

3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$105 CA$148

2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$1,373 CA$1,932

0.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$1,203 CA$1,693

-3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$1,999 CA$2,813

16.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$1,777 CA$2,500

7.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

$4,724 CA$6,647

-19.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

$2,857 CA$4,021

22.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$3,041 CA$4,279

-3.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.61

1.78%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Abbotsford: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,380 in Calgary versus $1,373 in Abbotsford. 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 3% higher in Abbotsford, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Calgary versus $59.0 in Abbotsford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $391 – making Abbotsford the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Calgary vs Abbotsford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,462 in Calgary, $2,256 in Abbotsford – roughly 9% apart. Calgary costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,693 per month in Calgary and $3,384 in Abbotsford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abbotsford, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Calgary and $59.0 in Abbotsford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,462 in Calgary and $2,256 in Abbotsford. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Abbotsford, where all-in costs run around $2,256, than in Calgary at $2,462. In Abbotsford it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calgary it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abbotsford – 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 Abbotsford. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Calgary makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.