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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $1,780 in Arnprior.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $2,646 in Arnprior.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $3,512 in Arnprior.

Living in Calgary is roughly 32% more expensive than in Arnprior, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Arnprior 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$17.87 CA$24.78

3.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$45.61 CA$63.3

56.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$7.57 CA$10.50

41.08%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.09 CA$4.28

27.18%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$1.78 CA$2.47

13.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.20 CA$1.67

64.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$4.93 CA$6.84

-0.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.70 CA$7.91

3.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.12 CA$1.56

81.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.29 CA$3.17

24.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$3.46 CA$4.80

65.32%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$2.46 CA$3.41

54.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$7.64 CA$10.59

51.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$6.03 CA$8.36

98.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$10.73 CA$14.88

76.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$2.15 CA$2.98

128.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.33 CA$1.84

6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$2.96 CA$4.10

47.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$2.41 CA$3.34

67.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$1.11 CA$1.54

145.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$1.11 CA$1.54

159.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.54 CA$3.52

1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.47 CA$2.04

1.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$15.36 CA$21.30

-4.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$10.57 CA$14.66

47.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$3.53 CA$4.90

-28.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$3.69 CA$5.11

-11.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.31 CA$3.21

27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$71.6 CA$99.3

25.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$6.40 CA$8.88

-48.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.57 CA$2.18

-12.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$25.22 CA$34.98

7.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.16 CA$1.60

5.17%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$22.2K CA$30.7K

28.91%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$26.9K CA$37.4K

-22.52%

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

$182 CA$253

$132 CA$183

38.44%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$44.50 CA$61.7

-11.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$60.9 CA$84.4

-15.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$42.28 CA$58.6

29.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

$18.58 CA$25.77

1.13%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$11.52 CA$15.98

26.04%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$807 CA$1,119

1.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$12.9K CA$18.0K

26.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$66.3 CA$92.0

-6.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$25.14 CA$34.87

59.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$73.4 CA$102

28.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$91.3 CA$127

24.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$810 CA$1,123

55.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$731 CA$1,014

48.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,338 CA$1,856

49.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,261 CA$1,749

35.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

$4,125 CA$5,721

-12.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

$4,183 CA$5,802

-18.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$2,549 CA$3,535

27.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.68

-4.27%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Arnprior: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $810 in Arnprior. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 27% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $46.00 in Arnprior for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $265 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 32% 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.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Calgary, 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: $1,256 in Calgary versus $810 in Arnprior. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $819 in Calgary versus $807 in Arnprior. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Calgary. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,780 in Arnprior versus $2,344 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 32% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.