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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,353 per month in Calgary vs $2,336 in Abbotsford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,488 per month in Calgary vs $3,346 in Abbotsford, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,622 per month in Calgary vs $4,355 in Abbotsford, rent included.

Calgary costs about 1% more than Abbotsford, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calgary and Abbotsford sit above the global median – Calgary by 71%, Abbotsford by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.82

$14.96 CA$20.70

19.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$97.6

$58.0 CA$80.2

21.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.79

$10.31 CA$14.26

3.69%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.24

$3.84 CA$5.32

-1.30%

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

$2.00 CA$2.77

$1.83 CA$2.54

9.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.73

$1.63 CA$2.26

21.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.18

$5.97 CA$8.25

-13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.11

$5.70 CA$7.89

2.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$1.88 CA$2.60

3.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$2.25 CA$3.11

25.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.77

$4.50 CA$6.23

24.67%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.19

$3.22 CA$4.46

16.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.91

$12.87 CA$17.81

-10.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.86

$18.65 CA$25.81

-38.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 CA$26.23

$26.84 CA$37.13

-29.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.69

$6.22 CA$8.60

-22.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$1.20 CA$1.66

14.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.88

$3.76 CA$5.20

13.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.74

$3.63 CA$5.02

14.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$4.20 CA$5.81

-35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.91

$2.63 CA$3.63

7.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.66 CA$3.68

-0.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$1.85 CA$2.56

-18.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.21

$16.21 CA$22.43

-9.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CA$21.80

$10.82 CA$14.97

45.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.59

$4.27 CA$5.91

-39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.26

$3.85 CA$5.33

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.05

$3.18 CA$4.41

-7.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$124

$46.32 CA$64.1

92.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.59

$3.60 CA$4.98

-7.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.34

$24.79 CA$34.30

11.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.31 CA$1.81

-3.82%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$29.1K CA$40.3K

-0.68%

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

$21.3K CA$29.5K

$19.4K CA$26.8K

10.25%

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

$183 CA$253

$115 CA$159

59.61%

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

$38.31 CA$53.0

$44.35 CA$61.4

-13.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.5

$70.1 CA$97.0

-26.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$75.9

$30.51 CA$42.22

79.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.82

$16.09 CA$22.26

15.97%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CA$19.73

$11.29 CA$15.62

26.31%

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

$828 CA$1,146

$377 CA$522

119.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.0K

$8,008 CA$11.1K

98.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$82.4

$54.3 CA$75.1

9.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 CA$54.6

$35.09 CA$48.56

12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$82.9 CA$115

13.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$104 CA$144

8.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,750

$1,317 CA$1,822

-3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CA$1,454

$1,101 CA$1,524

-4.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,676

$1,927 CA$2,666

0.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,352

$1,721 CA$2,382

-1.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,092

$4,740 CA$6,559

-22.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,613

$2,889 CA$3,998

15.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,533

$3,183 CA$4,405

2.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

4.72

-6.78%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Last update for Abbotsford: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,265 in Calgary versus $1,317 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 Calgary, 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 $71.0 in Calgary versus $58.0 in Abbotsford. Groceries tell a different story – $397 in Calgary vs $457 in Abbotsford – so Calgary 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

Calgary vs Abbotsford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,353 in Calgary, $2,336 in Abbotsford – roughly 1% apart. Calgary costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,530 per month in Calgary and $3,504 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 $71.0 in Calgary and $58.0 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 $2,353 in Calgary and $2,336 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 $2,336, than in Calgary at $2,353. 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.