Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Armstrong Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Armstrong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,433 in Armstrong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $3,470 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $4,506 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs are close between Calgary and Armstrong; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Armstrong 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$22.21 CA$30.42

-18.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$71.0 CA$97.3

-1.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$10.95 CA$15.00

0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.70 CA$5.07

0.81%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$2.62 CA$3.59

-24.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.91 CA$2.62

-13.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$5.98 CA$8.19

-11.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$6.64 CA$9.10

0.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.78 CA$3.81

-22.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.54 CA$3.48

5.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$3.82 CA$5.23

-14.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$9.94 CA$13.62

47.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$10.60 CA$14.52

18.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$15.82 CA$21.68

1.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$3.84 CA$5.27

16.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.72 CA$2.36

-22.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$4.01 CA$5.50

-6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$4.08 CA$5.58

5.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$2.65 CA$3.64

0.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.22 CA$3.05

17.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.83 CA$3.87

-3.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.75 CA$2.40

8.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$13.37 CA$18.32

12.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$13.25 CA$18.15

7.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$3.47 CA$4.76

-16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.85 CA$5.28

3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.33 CA$3.20

15.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$63.3 CA$86.7

39.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$2.49 CA$3.41

43.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.66 CA$2.28

-19.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$12.76 CA$17.48

129.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.27 CA$1.74

-11.02%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$24.9K CA$34.2K

0.72%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$20.0K CA$27.4K

11.00%

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

$218 CA$299

$163 CA$224

33.40%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$45.14 CA$61.8

-8.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$63.6 CA$87.1

-8.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$41.94 CA$57.5

28.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$10.66 CA$14.60

18.76%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$444 CA$609

99.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$4,116 CA$5,639

290.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$60.8 CA$83.3

-4.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$39.10 CA$53.6

23.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$81.8 CA$112

8.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$78.4 CA$107

35.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,313 CA$1,798

6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$1,169 CA$1,601

1.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$2,028 CA$2,778

13.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,823 CA$2,497

1.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$4,275 CA$5,856

-11.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$3,225 CA$4,419

8.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$1,096 CA$1,501

184.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.36

-10.22%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $1,313 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 185% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $71 in Armstrong. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $375, with Armstrong cheaper for home cooking.

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 Armstrong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary pays 185% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,396 in Calgary versus $1,313 in Armstrong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Armstrong runs roughly 39% less than in Calgary. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Calgary. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,433 in Armstrong versus $2,433 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Armstrong but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Armstrong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Armstrong wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.