Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Barrie Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Barrie

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,481 in Calgary versus $2,585 in Barrie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,599 in Calgary versus $3,673 in Barrie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Calgary versus $4,761 in Barrie.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 4% less than in Barrie, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 86% above, Barrie 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 CA$26.12

$14.78 CA$20.71

26.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$98.5

$74.2 CA$104

-5.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.26 CA$15.78

$10.27 CA$14.40

9.64%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.42 CA$4.79

8.19%

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

$2.05 CA$2.88

$1.80 CA$2.52

13.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$1.11 CA$1.56

50.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.37

$6.30 CA$8.83

-16.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.44

$5.71 CA$8.01

18.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$2.73 CA$3.83

-18.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.86

$2.92 CA$4.09

-5.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.60

$3.94 CA$5.52

-16.75%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.77

$3.04 CA$4.26

11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 CA$20.25

$8.87 CA$12.44

62.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.58 CA$17.63

$14.49 CA$20.31

-13.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.85 CA$22.20

$25.25 CA$35.38

-37.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.19

$3.72 CA$5.21

18.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.33 CA$1.86

0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.38

$2.91 CA$4.08

31.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.07

$5.18 CA$7.26

-16.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$1.74 CA$2.44

45.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$3.80 CA$5.33

-28.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$2.83 CA$3.97

-4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.66

$1.67 CA$2.35

13.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.75

$11.76 CA$16.48

25.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 CA$20.22

$10.15 CA$14.22

42.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.43 CA$3.40

20.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$2.31 CA$3.24

72.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.79

$2.65 CA$3.71

1.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 CA$124

$67.3 CA$94.3

31.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.80

$2.86 CA$4.01

19.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$2.09 CA$2.93

-37.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.41 CA$39.82

$25.95 CA$36.37

9.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.14 CA$1.60

-1.75%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$24.7K CA$34.7K

0.68%

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

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$20.4K CA$28.7K

6.25%

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

$210 CA$295

$196 CA$275

7.22%

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

$41.33 CA$57.9

$42.36 CA$59.4

-2.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$81.1

$76.2 CA$107

-24.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 CA$77.5

$36.31 CA$50.9

52.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.2 CA$73.2

$36.57 CA$51.2

42.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.47

$13.45 CA$18.85

-7.29%

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

$886 CA$1,242

$1,473 CA$2,065

-39.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$11.7K CA$16.4K

36.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$82.8

$70.1 CA$98.2

-15.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.08 CA$66.0

$56.4 CA$79.0

-16.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 CA$122

$142 CA$199

-38.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$115 CA$161

-4.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 CA$1,982

$1,413 CA$1,980

0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 CA$1,654

$1,293 CA$1,812

-8.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 CA$3,327

$2,166 CA$3,035

9.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CA$2,599

$1,833 CA$2,569

1.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,755 CA$5,262

$5,015 CA$7,028

-25.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,479 CA$4,875

$4,205 CA$5,892

-17.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,035 CA$4,253

$3,045 CA$4,267

-0.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.63

-13.88%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barrie: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,415 in Calgary and $1,413 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrie pays 0% 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 $74.0 in Barrie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $405 per month, with Calgary 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 Barrie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary and Barrie differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,481 vs $2,585 including rent). Calgary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Barrie. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,415 in Calgary versus $1,413 in Barrie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Calgary runs roughly 31% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $886 in Calgary versus $1,473 in Barrie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,481 in Calgary versus $2,585 in Barrie, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Barrie. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.