Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Alert Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Alert

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,523 per month in Calgary vs $2,294 in Alert, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,652 per month in Calgary vs $3,335 in Alert, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,780 per month in Calgary vs $4,376 in Alert, rent included.

Calgary costs about 10% more than Alert, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calgary and Alert sit above the global median – Calgary by 88%, Alert by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.91

$16.81 CA$23.42

10.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.6

$70.6 CA$98.4

-0.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.27

$11.10 CA$15.46

-1.26%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.20

$3.68 CA$5.13

1.36%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.03 CA$2.83

-1.97%

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$6.99

$5.38 CA$7.50

-6.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.06

$5.77 CA$8.04

12.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.10

$2.09 CA$2.91

6.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.72

$2.60 CA$3.63

2.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.55

$3.61 CA$5.03

-9.70%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.67

$3.37 CA$4.70

-0.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.21

$11.27 CA$15.71

28.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.04

$11.57 CA$16.12

11.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.51

$14.86 CA$20.71

8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.02

$3.98 CA$5.54

8.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.37 CA$1.91

-1.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$3.59 CA$5.01

6.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.83

$3.67 CA$5.12

13.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.69

$2.52 CA$3.51

5.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.82

$2.47 CA$3.44

10.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.85

$2.58 CA$3.60

6.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.72

$1.71 CA$2.38

14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.88

$13.84 CA$19.28

8.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.45

$13.39 CA$18.65

9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.96

$2.82 CA$3.93

0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.60

$3.13 CA$4.36

28.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.35 CA$3.27

19.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$64.0 CA$89.2

34.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.02

$3.11 CA$4.33

15.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.84

$1.43 CA$1.99

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.43

$25.31 CA$35.27

14.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.13 CA$1.57

-0.88%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$24.7K CA$34.5K

0.48%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

7.76%

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

$217 CA$303

$141 CA$197

54.05%

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

$41.55 CA$57.9

$43.06 CA$60.0

-3.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.9

$62.8 CA$87.5

-7.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.3

$42.67 CA$59.5

28.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.6

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.79

$11.31 CA$15.77

12.91%

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

$874 CA$1,218

$723 CA$1,007

20.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$11.8K CA$16.4K

35.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$82.0

$54.1 CA$75.4

8.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.8

$40.35 CA$56.2

15.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$86.0 CA$120

1.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$152

-0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,970

$1,336 CA$1,862

5.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,634

$1,167 CA$1,626

0.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,232

$2,051 CA$2,858

13.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,629

$1,808 CA$2,520

4.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,424

$5,047 CA$7,034

-22.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,882

$3,903 CA$5,440

-10.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,389

$3,550 CA$4,947

-11.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.46

-11.61%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Alert: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,336 in Alert. 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 13% higher in Alert, 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 $71.0 in Alert. Groceries tell a different story – $397 in Calgary vs $362 in Alert – so Alert 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 Alert: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,523 in Calgary, $2,294 in Alert – roughly 10% apart. Calgary costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,785 per month in Calgary and $3,442 in Alert. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 10% more in Calgary, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Calgary and $71.0 in Alert. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alert, where all-in costs run around $2,294, than in Calgary at $2,523. In Alert it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calgary it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alert – 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 Alert. 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.