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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,544 in Barrie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $3,542 in Barrie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $4,540 in Barrie.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 8% less than in Barrie, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Barrie 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$14.68 CA$20.53

20.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$57.0 CA$79.7

24.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$11.35 CA$15.88

-4.41%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$3.74 CA$5.23

2.94%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$1.94 CA$2.71

0.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.44 CA$2.02

24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$5.16 CA$7.21

-3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$5.63 CA$7.87

4.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$2.10 CA$2.93

-12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$2.58 CA$3.61

5.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.60

$2.69 CA$3.76

102.23%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$3.13 CA$4.38

15.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$10.10 CA$14.13

14.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$14.64 CA$20.48

-20.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.50

$22.79 CA$31.89

-16.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$4.03 CA$5.64

22.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.19 CA$1.67

19.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$3.20 CA$4.47

31.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$4.04 CA$5.65

1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$1.12 CA$1.56

128.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$1.36 CA$1.91

107.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.22 CA$3.11

15.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.72 CA$2.41

-9.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$11.60 CA$16.23

25.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$10.28 CA$14.38

51.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$2.50 CA$3.50

3.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$2.21 CA$3.09

46.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.49 CA$3.49

18.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$64.8 CA$90.6

40.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$3.57 CA$5.00

-11.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.09 CA$1.53

27.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.08 CA$1.51

15.74%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$29.0K CA$40.6K

-2.48%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$21.4K CA$29.9K

-0.33%

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

$178 CA$249

$236 CA$330

-24.58%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$36.33 CA$50.8

8.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$78.4 CA$110

-35.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.5

$41.15 CA$57.6

32.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

$35.41 CA$49.53

-46.99%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$12.89 CA$18.03

12.88%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$1,456 CA$2,037

-44.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$63.9 CA$89.4

-6.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$45.65 CA$63.9

-11.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$151 CA$211

-38.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$85.0 CA$119

32.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$1,458 CA$2,039

-11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,424

$1,285 CA$1,798

-20.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,766

$2,092 CA$2,926

-5.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$1,771 CA$2,478

-1.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$5,084 CA$7,112

-29.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

$4,301 CA$6,017

-21.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

$3,093 CA$4,326

3.89%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Barrie: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $1,458 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $57.0 in Barrie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $375 per month, with Barrie 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 9% in total monthly costs ($2,344 vs $2,544 including rent). Calgary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4% 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: $1,284 in Calgary versus $1,458 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 41% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $812 in Calgary versus $1,456 in Barrie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,544 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 9% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.