Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Alpharetta, GA

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,223 a month against $3,015 in Alpharetta, GA, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,223
/mo nomad
Alpharetta, GA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,015
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Alpharetta, GA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in Alpharetta, GA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Calgary versus $3,015 in Alpharetta, GA.

  • Calgary $2,223
  • Alpharetta, GA $3,015

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,301 in Calgary versus $4,418 in Alpharetta, GA.

  • Calgary $3,301
  • Alpharetta, GA $4,418

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,379 in Calgary versus $5,822 in Alpharetta, GA.

  • Calgary $4,379
  • Alpharetta, GA $5,822

Living in Calgary costs roughly 26% less than in Alpharetta, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 65% above, Alpharetta, GA 123% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Alpharetta, GA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.22 CA$24.34
$25.92 $25.92
-33.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.1 CA$100
$81.2 $81.2
-12.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.53 CA$14.89
$9.82 $9.82
7.23%
Cappuccino
$3.66 CA$5.18
$4.87 $4.87
-24.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 CA$2.80
$2.52 $2.52
-21.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.74
$2.11 $2.11
-8.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.95 CA$7.00
$5.78 $5.78
-14.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.57 CA$7.87
$7.40 $7.40
-24.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Alpharetta, GA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 CA$2.65
$0.93 $0.93
102.15%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 CA$3.78
$4.25 $4.25
-37.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.32 CA$7.52
$5.73 $5.73
-7.16%
Eggs
$3.79 CA$5.35
$4.58 $4.58
-17.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.09 CA$15.68
$11.41 $11.41
-2.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.36 CA$16.05
$8.73 $8.73
30.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.40 CA$26.01
$20.39 $20.39
-9.76%
Apples (1kg)
$4.56 CA$6.45
$4.61 $4.61
-1.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.04
$2.14 $2.14
-32.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.08 CA$5.76
$4.23 $4.23
-3.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.89 CA$5.50
$4.41 $4.41
-11.79%
Potato (1kg)
$2.64 CA$3.73
$3.65 $3.65
-27.67%
Onion (1kg)
$2.64 CA$3.73
$3.71 $3.71
-28.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.50 CA$3.54
$2.39 $2.39
4.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 CA$2.12
$2.77 $2.77
-45.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.05 CA$19.86
$8.94 $8.94
57.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.70 CA$22.20
$14.79 $14.79
6.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 CA$3.45
$1.72 $1.72
41.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.37
$3.92 $3.92
-21.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Alpharetta, GA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$2.94 $2.94
-4.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.6 CA$125
$94.2 $94.2
-5.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 CA$4.41
$3.08 $3.08
1.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 CA$1.91
$2.37 $2.37
-43.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.02 CA$38.20
$40.78 $40.78
-33.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 CA$1.64
$0.90 $0.90
28.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.5K
$32.5K $32.5K
-14.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.8K
$26.3K $26.3K
-22.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Alpharetta, GA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 CA$227
$252 $252
-36.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.13 CA$53.9
$53.7 $53.7
-28.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.0 CA$70.7
$87.4 $87.4
-42.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Alpharetta, GA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 CA$72.8
$34.02 $34.02
51.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.14 CA$25.64
$22.25 $22.25
-18.47%
Cinema Ticket
$13.82 CA$19.54
$16.81 $16.81
-17.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Alpharetta, GA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$786 CA$1,111
$1,298 $1,298
-39.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.5K CA$21.8K
$16.0K $16.0K
-3.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Alpharetta, GA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.3 CA$82.4
$77.0 $77.0
-24.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.27 CA$55.5
$44.98 $44.98
-12.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.8 CA$127
$128 $128
-29.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$139 $139
-20.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Alpharetta, GA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,229 CA$1,737
$2,105 $2,105
-41.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,001 CA$1,415
$1,488 $1,488
-32.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,921 CA$2,716
$3,000 $3,000
-35.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 CA$2,292
$2,491 $2,491
-34.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,549 CA$5,018
$7,659 $7,659
-53.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,335 CA$4,715
$5,366 $5,366
-37.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Alpharetta, GA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,165 CA$4,474
$6,390 $6,390
-50.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
6.84
-34.06%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 13, 2026

Last update for Alpharetta, GA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$1K
Alpharetta, GA
$1.5K 48.6% $486
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$385
Alpharetta, GA
$414 7.5% $29
Eating Out
Calgary
$265
Alpharetta, GA
$357 34.9% $93
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$249
Alpharetta, GA
$393 57.9% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$134
Alpharetta, GA
$175 30.7% $41
Getting Around
Calgary
$110
Alpharetta, GA
$121 10% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$79
Alpharetta, GA
$68 14.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,229 in Calgary and $2,105 in Alpharetta, GA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alpharetta, GA pays 102% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $81.0 in Alpharetta, GA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $414 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇺🇸 Alpharetta, GA
🕒 Local time
14:20 2:20 PM
16:20 4:20 PM
2 h ahead of Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
65,799
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary Alpharetta, GA 3,050 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • Alpharetta, GA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Alpharetta, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alpharetta, GA cheaper than Calgary?
Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Calgary or Alpharetta, GA?
On paper, salaries run 102% lower in Alpharetta, GA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Calgary and Alpharetta, GA?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,229 in Calgary versus $2,105 in Alpharetta, GA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Calgary runs roughly 6% less than in Alpharetta, GA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $786 in Calgary versus $1,298 in Alpharetta, GA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Calgary or in Alpharetta, GA?
At $2,223 in Calgary versus $3,015 in Alpharetta, GA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Alpharetta, GA. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Calgary or in Alpharetta, GA?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Alpharetta, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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