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: $2,517 in Calgary versus $2,598 in Barrie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,646 in Calgary versus $3,673 in Barrie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,776 in Calgary versus $4,748 in Barrie.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 3% less than in Barrie, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, Barrie 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.37 CA$25.65

$14.79 CA$20.65

24.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 CA$97.4

$74.4 CA$104

-6.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.19

$10.35 CA$14.45

5.12%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.16

$3.36 CA$4.69

9.82%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$1.88 CA$2.62

7.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.43

$1.12 CA$1.57

55.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.40

$6.25 CA$8.73

-15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.42

$6.00 CA$8.38

12.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$2.84 CA$3.97

-21.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.75

$2.92 CA$4.08

-8.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.68

$4.08 CA$5.69

-17.89%

Eggs

$3.33 CA$4.65

$3.14 CA$4.39

6.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 CA$20.12

$9.02 CA$12.59

59.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 CA$17.46

$15.03 CA$20.99

-16.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 CA$22.81

$24.87 CA$34.73

-34.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.98

$3.62 CA$5.05

18.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.27 CA$1.78

6.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.22

$2.95 CA$4.12

26.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.83

$4.99 CA$6.97

-16.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$1.73 CA$2.42

47.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$3.86 CA$5.39

-30.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.71

$2.81 CA$3.92

-5.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.70 CA$2.37

10.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.47

$11.66 CA$16.29

25.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.87

$10.28 CA$14.35

38.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$2.52 CA$3.51

17.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 CA$5.44

$2.27 CA$3.17

71.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 CA$3.79

$2.64 CA$3.68

2.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$122

$65.9 CA$92.0

33.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 CA$4.83

$2.90 CA$4.05

19.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$2.12 CA$2.96

-38.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.30 CA$39.52

$25.81 CA$36.04

9.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.10 CA$1.54

-0.91%

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

$25.0K CA$34.9K

$24.5K CA$34.3K

1.96%

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

$22.2K CA$31.0K

$20.0K CA$28.0K

11.02%

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

$211 CA$295

$200 CA$280

5.35%

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

$40.40 CA$56.4

$42.82 CA$59.8

-5.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CA$81.7

$75.0 CA$105

-22.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 CA$75.1

$37.29 CA$52.1

44.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.2

$37.50 CA$52.4

43.52%

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 CA$17.66

$13.08 CA$18.26

-3.36%

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

$865 CA$1,208

$1,486 CA$2,075

-41.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.4K

$11.8K CA$16.5K

36.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$81.1

$72.0 CA$101

-19.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.18 CA$65.9

$56.3 CA$78.6

-16.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 CA$119

$146 CA$204

-41.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$115 CA$161

-8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 CA$1,977

$1,437 CA$2,006

-1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 CA$1,611

$1,323 CA$1,847

-12.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,370 CA$3,309

$2,190 CA$3,058

8.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 CA$2,603

$1,853 CA$2,588

0.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,834 CA$5,354

$5,149 CA$7,191

-25.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,443 CA$4,808

$4,402 CA$6,148

-21.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,105 CA$4,337

$3,051 CA$4,260

1.79%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barrie: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,416 in Calgary and $1,437 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $74.0 in Barrie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $408 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 3% in total monthly costs ($2,517 vs $2,598 including rent). Calgary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Calgary pays 2% 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: $1,416 in Calgary versus $1,437 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 33% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $865 in Calgary versus $1,486 in Barrie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 3% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.