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: $2,481 in Calgary versus $2,429 in Armstrong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,599 in Calgary versus $3,456 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Calgary versus $4,483 in Armstrong.

Living in Calgary is roughly 2% more expensive than in Armstrong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 86% above, Armstrong 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 CA$26.12

$21.65 CA$30.35

-13.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$98.5

$70.4 CA$98.6

-0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.26 CA$15.78

$11.20 CA$15.69

0.54%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.76 CA$5.27

-1.60%

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

$2.05 CA$2.88

$2.60 CA$3.64

-21.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$2.01 CA$2.82

-16.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.37

$5.96 CA$8.36

-11.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.44

$6.79 CA$9.51

-0.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$2.78 CA$3.89

-19.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.86

$2.49 CA$3.48

10.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.60

$3.40 CA$4.77

-3.53%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.77

$3.85 CA$5.39

-11.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 CA$20.25

$9.74 CA$13.65

48.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.58 CA$17.63

$10.47 CA$14.67

20.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.85 CA$22.20

$15.22 CA$21.33

4.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.19

$3.88 CA$5.44

13.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.76 CA$2.46

-23.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.38

$4.06 CA$5.69

-5.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.07

$3.99 CA$5.59

8.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$2.73 CA$3.83

-6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$2.23 CA$3.13

22.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$2.85 CA$3.99

-5.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.66

$1.81 CA$2.54

4.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.75

$13.60 CA$19.06

8.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 CA$20.22

$12.52 CA$17.54

15.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$3.51 CA$4.92

-16.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$3.78 CA$5.29

5.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.79

$2.32 CA$3.25

16.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 CA$124

$62.5 CA$87.6

41.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.80

$2.47 CA$3.46

38.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.63 CA$2.28

-19.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.41 CA$39.82

$12.77 CA$17.89

122.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.22 CA$1.71

-8.20%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$25.4K CA$35.6K

-1.98%

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

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$19.8K CA$27.8K

9.56%

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

$210 CA$295

$158 CA$222

32.72%

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

$41.33 CA$57.9

$45.16 CA$63.3

-8.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$81.1

$63.4 CA$88.8

-8.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 CA$77.5

$42.00 CA$58.9

31.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.2 CA$73.2

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.47

$10.72 CA$15.03

16.32%

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

$886 CA$1,242

$440 CA$617

101.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$3,978 CA$5,574

300.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$82.8

$61.8 CA$86.6

-4.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.08 CA$66.0

$39.16 CA$54.9

20.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 CA$122

$80.3 CA$113

8.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$78.4 CA$110

39.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 CA$1,982

$1,297 CA$1,818

9.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 CA$1,654

$1,169 CA$1,638

0.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 CA$3,327

$2,049 CA$2,872

15.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CA$2,599

$1,781 CA$2,495

4.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,755 CA$5,262

$4,359 CA$6,108

-13.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,479 CA$4,875

$3,478 CA$4,873

0.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,035 CA$4,253

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,415 in Calgary and $1,297 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $70.0 in Armstrong. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $371, 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,722 in Calgary and $3,644 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: $1,415 in Calgary versus $1,297 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 41% less than in Calgary. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $886 in Calgary versus $440 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,429 in Armstrong versus $2,481 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 2% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.