Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Brades

For one person, living is cheaper in Brades: $936 a month against $2,232 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

Brades

🇲🇸 Montserrat

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Brades

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,232 in Calgary versus $936 in Brades.

Calgary $2,232
Brades $936

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,363 in Calgary versus $2,172 in Brades.

Calgary $3,363
Brades $2,172

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,493 in Calgary versus $3,408 in Brades.

Calgary $4,493
Brades $3,408

Living in Calgary is roughly 138% more expensive than in Brades, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 67% above, Brades is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.54

$18.33 EC$49.48

-6.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$101

$47.76 EC$129

49.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$15.06

$11.98 EC$32.35

-11.85%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.38

$7.30 EC$19.72

-48.36%

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

$1.91 CA$2.73

$2.85 EC$7.70

-32.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.63

$1.52 EC$4.10

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 CA$6.93

$3.01 EC$8.12

61.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.91

$4.46 EC$12.05

24.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 CA$2.68

$3.39 EC$9.15

-44.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.89

$3.04 EC$8.20

-10.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 CA$7.61

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.37

$7.05 EC$19.04

-46.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 CA$16.09

$5.77 EC$15.59

95.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.34

$9.09 EC$24.54

26.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.26 CA$26.03

$23.46 EC$63.3

-22.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.62

$3.18 EC$8.59

45.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.05

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$6.02

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.50

$4.43 EC$11.95

-12.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.74

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.79

$2.26 EC$6.10

17.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.69

$5.16 EC$13.92

-49.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CA$2.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 CA$20.32

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CA$21.76

$22.14 EC$59.8

-31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.41

$4.31 EC$11.65

-28.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 CA$4.11

$1.81 EC$4.89

59.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.7 CA$126

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.97

$4.73 EC$12.76

-70.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.49 CA$37.75

$1.90 EC$5.13

1294.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.68

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

$28.3K CA$40.3K

$22.2K EC$59.8K

27.61%

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

$20.7K CA$29.5K

$15.0K EC$40.6K

37.76%

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

$159 CA$227

$92.6 EC$250

71.91%

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

$37.61 CA$53.6

$40.54 EC$109

-7.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.68 CA$70.8

$46.80 EC$126

6.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 CA$75.9

$56.4 EC$152

-5.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 CA$26.10

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 CA$20.06

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

$809 CA$1,154

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$83.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$55.4

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 CA$130

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$155

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,764

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 CA$1,420

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 CA$2,720

$1,313 EC$3,544

45.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 CA$2,382

$1,300 EC$3,510

28.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 CA$5,032

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 CA$4,755

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,130 CA$4,461

$1,269 EC$3,427

146.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

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

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Last update for Brades: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$996 44.8%

Brades

–

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$387 17.4%

Brades

–

Eating Out

Calgary

$265 11.9%

Brades

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$247 11.1%

Brades

–

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$134 6%

Brades

–

Getting Around

Calgary

$110 5%

Brades

–

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$81 3.7%

Brades

–

Cost Breakdown

Calgary pays 147% 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 $48.00 in Brades for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $342 per month, with Brades cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇲🇸 Brades

🕒 Local time

02:24 2:24 AM

04:24 4:24 AM

2 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

400

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.33 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.03 XCD (1 XCD = 0.33 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Calgary Brades 5,940 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
Brades

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 Brades: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brades wins on cost – living expenses run 138% lower than in Calgary. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brades the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 147% higher in Calgary, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $2,232 per month in Calgary versus $936 in Brades – a 138% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Calgary. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $936 in Brades versus $2,232 in Calgary, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brades but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Brades 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.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Brades are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brades gentler on the wallet – expenses run 138% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.