Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Arnprior Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Arnprior

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,313 in Arnprior.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,395 in Arnprior.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,477 in Arnprior.

Living in Calgary is roughly 9% more expensive than Arnprior, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Arnprior 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$17.08 CA$23.76

8.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$68.7 CA$95.5

1.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$10.85 CA$15.09

1.01%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.74 CA$5.20

-0.27%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$1.95 CA$2.72

2.05%

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$6.97

$5.45 CA$7.58

-8.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$5.73 CA$7.96

13.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.11 CA$2.93

5.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.70 CA$3.76

-1.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$3.57 CA$4.96

-8.68%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.41 CA$4.74

-1.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$11.25 CA$15.65

28.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$11.90 CA$16.55

8.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$14.97 CA$20.82

7.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$4.12 CA$5.73

4.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.38 CA$1.91

-2.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.72 CA$5.18

2.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.86 CA$5.37

8.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.49 CA$3.47

6.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.48 CA$3.44

10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.61 CA$3.64

5.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.71 CA$2.38

14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$13.81 CA$19.21

8.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$12.86 CA$17.88

14.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$2.88 CA$4.01

-1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.13 CA$4.35

28.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.32 CA$3.22

20.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$62.9 CA$87.5

36.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$3.24 CA$4.50

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.50 CA$2.09

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$25.67 CA$35.70

13.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$24.8K CA$34.5K

0.06%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

7.52%

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

$217 CA$302

$142 CA$197

53.29%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$44.47 CA$61.9

-6.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$62.5 CA$86.9

-7.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$42.53 CA$59.2

28.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$11.51 CA$16.01

10.95%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$728 CA$1,012

20.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$11.9K CA$16.5K

34.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$55.4 CA$77.0

6.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$39.92 CA$55.5

16.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$86.5 CA$120

0.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$106 CA$148

2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$1,336 CA$1,858

5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$1,202 CA$1,671

-2.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$2,004 CA$2,787

15.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$1,812 CA$2,519

4.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

$4,365 CA$6,070

-10.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$4,099 CA$5,700

-14.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$2,563 CA$3,564

22.87%

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 Arnprior: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,336 in Arnprior. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 23% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $69.0 in Arnprior for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $367 per month, with Arnprior cheaper across the board.

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 Arnprior: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arnprior wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Calgary. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arnprior the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Calgary pays 23% 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,336 in Arnprior. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $874 in Calgary versus $728 in Arnprior. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Calgary. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,313 in Arnprior versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arnprior but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Arnprior 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 Arnprior gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.