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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,523 per month in Calgary vs $2,309 in Abbotsford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,652 per month in Calgary vs $3,274 in Abbotsford, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,780 per month in Calgary vs $4,239 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 88%, Abbotsford by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.74

$14.76 CA$20.44

25.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.0

$58.6 CA$81.2

19.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.17

$9.41 CA$13.03

16.47%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.17

$3.85 CA$5.33

-3.12%

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

$1.99 CA$2.75

$1.94 CA$2.68

2.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.45 CA$2.01

18.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.94

$5.95 CA$8.23

-15.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.01

$6.05 CA$8.37

7.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.32 CA$3.21

-4.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.69

$2.78 CA$3.85

-3.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$3.71 CA$5.14

-12.13%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.64

$3.60 CA$4.98

-6.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.07

$12.66 CA$17.53

14.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.93

$13.88 CA$19.21

-6.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.36

$15.83 CA$21.92

2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$5.98

$4.23 CA$5.85

2.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.26 CA$1.74

7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.30

$3.95 CA$5.47

-3.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.79

$3.77 CA$5.22

10.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.67

$3.02 CA$4.18

-12.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.99 CA$4.14

-8.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$2.73 CA$3.79

1.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$1.90 CA$2.64

2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.74

$15.55 CA$21.52

-3.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.31

$10.89 CA$15.08

34.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$3.07 CA$4.25

-7.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.56

$3.63 CA$5.02

10.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$3.46 CA$4.79

-19.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$119

$48.02 CA$66.5

79.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$4.99

$3.62 CA$5.01

-0.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.43 CA$1.98

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.17

$26.24 CA$36.33

10.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.55

$1.28 CA$1.77

-12.50%

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

$24.9K CA$34.4K

$24.8K CA$34.3K

0.36%

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

$22.0K CA$30.4K

$20.0K CA$27.7K

9.73%

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

$217 CA$301

$89.4 CA$124

142.91%

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

$41.55 CA$57.5

$40.51 CA$56.1

2.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.4

$61.4 CA$85.0

-5.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$75.8

$25.13 CA$34.80

117.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.1

$18.45 CA$25.55

186.29%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.68

$11.34 CA$15.70

12.61%

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

$874 CA$1,210

$542 CA$751

61.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$8,175 CA$11.3K

95.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.5

$47.18 CA$65.3

24.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.4

$35.94 CA$49.76

29.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$81.6 CA$113

6.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$104 CA$144

4.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,957

$1,384 CA$1,916

2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,623

$1,195 CA$1,655

-1.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,211

$2,054 CA$2,844

12.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,612

$1,785 CA$2,472

5.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,389

$4,706 CA$6,515

-17.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,851

$2,896 CA$4,010

20.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,360

$3,194 CA$4,422

-1.39%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Abbotsford: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,384 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 1% 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: $397 vs $392 – 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: $2,523 in Calgary, $2,309 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 $3,785 per month in Calgary and $3,463 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 $2,523 in Calgary and $2,309 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 $2,309, than in Calgary at $2,523. 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.