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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,282 in Armstrong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $3,373 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $4,463 in Armstrong.

Living in Calgary is roughly 3% more expensive than in Armstrong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Armstrong 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$21.53 CA$30.11

-17.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$75.4 CA$106

-5.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$10.92 CA$15.28

-0.64%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$3.68 CA$5.15

4.62%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.57 CA$3.60

-24.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.70 CA$2.37

5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$6.16 CA$8.61

-19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$6.44 CA$9.01

-8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$2.42 CA$3.39

-23.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$2.46 CA$3.44

10.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.60

$3.21 CA$4.49

69.47%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$3.85 CA$5.38

-5.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$9.94 CA$13.90

16.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$10.46 CA$14.64

10.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.50

$17.64 CA$24.68

7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$3.77 CA$5.27

31.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.38 CA$1.92

2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$4.14 CA$5.79

1.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$4.25 CA$5.94

-3.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.66 CA$3.72

-3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$2.28 CA$3.19

23.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.49 CA$3.49

3.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.40 CA$1.96

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$13.41 CA$18.76

8.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$13.18 CA$18.43

18.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$3.36 CA$4.71

-23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$4.03 CA$5.63

-19.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.37 CA$3.32

24.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$73.5 CA$103

23.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$2.18 CA$3.05

45.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.72 CA$2.40

-19.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

$12.84 CA$17.96

115.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.24 CA$1.73

0.81%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$25.0K CA$34.9K

13.34%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$19.1K CA$26.7K

11.47%

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

$178 CA$249

$136 CA$190

30.73%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$28.63 CA$40.05

37.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$56.7 CA$79.3

-10.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.5

$36.98 CA$51.7

47.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

$17.94 CA$25.09

4.63%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$10.26 CA$14.36

41.81%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$146 CA$205

454.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

$4,004 CA$5,601

310.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$59.7 CA$83.5

-0.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$38.36 CA$53.7

5.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$80.4 CA$112

14.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$75.2 CA$105

49.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$1,383 CA$1,934

-7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,424

$991 CA$1,387

2.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,766

$1,928 CA$2,696

2.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$1,977 CA$2,766

-11.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$3,678 CA$5,145

-2.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

$3,597 CA$5,033

-6.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.58

-2.18%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $1,383 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $75.0 in Armstrong. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $368, 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

Armstrong is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,515 in Calgary and $3,423 in Armstrong to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,284 in Calgary versus $1,383 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 24% less than in Calgary. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $812 in Calgary versus $146 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,282 in Armstrong versus $2,344 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.

Expats usually find Armstrong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.