Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Arnprior

For one person, living is cheaper in Arnprior: $1,753 a month against $2,303 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calgary, Canada
Arnprior, Canada
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,303
/mo nomad
Arnprior
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,753
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Arnprior

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 Arnprior actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,303 in Calgary versus $1,753 in Arnprior.

  • Calgary $2,303
  • Arnprior $1,753

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,366 in Calgary versus $2,582 in Arnprior.

  • Calgary $3,366
  • Arnprior $2,582

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,428 in Calgary versus $3,411 in Arnprior.

  • Calgary $4,428
  • Arnprior $3,411

Living in Calgary is roughly 31% more expensive than in Arnprior, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 69% above, Arnprior 29% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Arnprior
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.55 CA$24.63
$17.93 CA$25.16
-2.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.4 CA$98.8
$44.31 CA$62.2
58.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.69 CA$15.00
$7.16 CA$10.05
49.30%
Cappuccino
$3.89 CA$5.46
$2.96 CA$4.15
31.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 CA$2.86
$1.67 CA$2.34
22.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 CA$2.64
$1.20 CA$1.68
56.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.90 CA$6.87
$4.89 CA$6.86
0.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.78 CA$8.11
$5.54 CA$7.78
4.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Arnprior
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 CA$2.75
$1.14 CA$1.61
71.93%
White Bread (500g)
$2.74 CA$3.84
$2.19 CA$3.07
25.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.46 CA$7.67
$3.47 CA$4.86
57.35%
Eggs
$3.69 CA$5.17
$2.56 CA$3.59
44.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.24 CA$15.78
$7.59 CA$10.65
48.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.54 CA$16.19
$6.03 CA$8.46
91.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.38 CA$25.79
$10.76 CA$15.09
70.82%
Apples (1kg)
$4.90 CA$6.88
$2.17 CA$3.05
125.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 CA$2.00
$1.36 CA$1.91
4.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.91
$2.87 CA$4.02
46.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.02 CA$5.65
$2.33 CA$3.27
72.53%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 CA$3.78
$1.09 CA$1.53
146.79%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 CA$3.74
$1.08 CA$1.52
146.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.61 CA$3.67
$2.44 CA$3.42
6.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 CA$2.24
$1.44 CA$2.03
11.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.00 CA$19.65
$15.34 CA$21.53
-8.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.40 CA$21.61
$10.41 CA$14.61
47.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 CA$3.50
$3.44 CA$4.83
-27.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.34
$3.48 CA$4.88
-11.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Arnprior
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.93 CA$4.11
$2.28 CA$3.20
28.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.3 CA$125
$65.1 CA$91.4
37.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.27 CA$4.59
$6.56 CA$9.20
-50.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 CA$1.89
$1.37 CA$1.93
-1.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.39 CA$38.43
$24.17 CA$33.93
13.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 CA$1.65
$1.09 CA$1.53
7.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.2K
$22.4K CA$31.4K
24.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.0K CA$29.5K
$26.3K CA$36.9K
-20.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Arnprior
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 CA$234
$133 CA$186
25.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.27 CA$53.7
$44.03 CA$61.8
-13.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.9 CA$71.5
$61.0 CA$85.5
-16.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Arnprior
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 CA$71.5
$38.12 CA$53.5
33.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.17 CA$25.50
$18.08 CA$25.38
0.50%
Cinema Ticket
$14.44 CA$20.27
$11.38 CA$15.98
26.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Arnprior
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$545 CA$766
$630 CA$884
-13.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K CA$22.7K
$14.5K CA$20.4K
11.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Arnprior
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 CA$82.6
$64.9 CA$91.1
-9.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.75 CA$55.8
$25.25 CA$35.44
57.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$131
$71.3 CA$100
30.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$154
$87.6 CA$123
25.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Arnprior
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,254 CA$1,760
$782 CA$1,097
60.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,056 CA$1,483
$745 CA$1,045
41.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,022 CA$2,838
$1,320 CA$1,852
53.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,629 CA$2,286
$1,252 CA$1,757
30.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,600 CA$5,053
$3,803 CA$5,336
-5.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,243 CA$4,551
$3,165 CA$4,442
2.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Arnprior
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,115 CA$4,372
$2,542 CA$3,567
22.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
4.68
-3.63%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 26, 2026

Last update for Arnprior: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$1.1K
Arnprior
$745 29.5% $312
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$393
Arnprior
$262 33.2% $130
Eating Out
Calgary
$271
Arnprior
$247 8.7% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$256
Arnprior
$237 7.2% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$136
Arnprior
$112 17.5% $24
Getting Around
Calgary
$111
Arnprior
$88 21.1% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$80
Arnprior
$61 23.7% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,254 in Calgary and $782 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 in Calgary vs $44 in Arnprior for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $262 per month, with Arnprior cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇨🇦 Arnprior
🕒 Local time
16:06 4:06 PM
18:06 6:06 PM
2 h ahead of Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
9,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary Arnprior 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • Arnprior

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 Arnprior: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Calgary or Arnprior?
Arnprior wins on cost – living expenses run 24% 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.
Are salaries higher in Calgary or in Arnprior?
Average pay runs 23% higher in Calgary, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Calgary compared to Arnprior?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,254 in Calgary versus $782 in Arnprior. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Calgary and in Arnprior?
Childcare runs $545 in Calgary versus $630 in Arnprior. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Calgary or in Arnprior?
Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Calgary. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Calgary or in Arnprior?
At $1,753 in Arnprior versus $2,303 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Arnprior gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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