Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Airdrie Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Airdrie

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,523 per month in Calgary vs $2,470 in Airdrie, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,652 per month in Calgary vs $3,433 in Airdrie, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,780 per month in Calgary vs $4,395 in Airdrie, rent included.

Calgary costs about 2% more than Airdrie, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Calgary and Airdrie sit above the global median – Calgary by 88%, Airdrie by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$18.05 CA$25.11

2.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$70.4 CA$97.9

-0.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$10.86 CA$15.10

0.92%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.71 CA$5.16

0.54%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.06 CA$2.86

-3.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.66 CA$2.31

3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$5.85 CA$8.13

-14.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$5.98 CA$8.31

8.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.03 CA$2.83

9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.64 CA$3.67

1.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$3.09 CA$4.30

5.50%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.77 CA$5.24

-11.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$12.48 CA$17.36

16.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$12.48 CA$17.35

3.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$16.00 CA$22.25

0.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$4.29 CA$5.96

0.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.30 CA$1.81

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.83 CA$5.33

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.77 CA$5.24

10.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.36 CA$3.28

12.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.19 CA$3.04

25.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.64 CA$3.67

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.85 CA$2.58

5.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$14.69 CA$20.43

1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$12.16 CA$16.92

20.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$2.81 CA$3.90

1.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.13 CA$4.36

28.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.42 CA$3.37

15.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$64.0 CA$89.0

34.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$3.10 CA$4.31

16.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.35 CA$1.88

-2.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$23.47 CA$32.64

23.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.08 CA$1.50

3.70%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$24.7K CA$34.3K

0.72%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$21.8K CA$30.3K

0.89%

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

$217 CA$302

$207 CA$288

4.85%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$40.66 CA$56.6

2.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$58.7 CA$81.6

-1.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$88.4 CA$123

-38.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

$58.2 CA$80.9

-9.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$13.20 CA$18.36

-3.26%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$699 CA$972

24.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$11.8K CA$16.5K

34.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$49.63 CA$69.0

18.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$41.83 CA$58.2

11.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$81.8 CA$114

6.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$103 CA$144

5.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$1,351 CA$1,878

4.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$1,190 CA$1,655

-1.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$1,848 CA$2,570

25.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$1,615 CA$2,246

16.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

$6,268 CA$8,717

-37.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$6,274 CA$8,725

-44.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$2,908 CA$4,044

8.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.08

-6.09%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Airdrie: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,351 in Airdrie. 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 8% 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 $70.0 in Calgary versus $70.0 in Airdrie. Groceries tell a different story – $397 in Calgary vs $374 in Airdrie – so Airdrie 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 Airdrie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,523 in Calgary, $2,470 in Airdrie – roughly 2% apart. Calgary costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,785 per month in Calgary and $3,705 in Airdrie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,523 in Calgary and $2,470 in Airdrie. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% less in Airdrie. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Airdrie, where all-in costs run around $2,470, than in Calgary at $2,523. In Airdrie it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calgary it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Airdrie – 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 Airdrie. 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.