Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Brandon, MB Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Brandon, MB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,462 per month in Calgary vs $1,728 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,628 per month in Calgary vs $2,732 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,795 per month in Calgary vs $3,735 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

Calgary costs about 42% more than Brandon, MB, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calgary and Brandon, MB sit above the global median – Calgary by 84%, Brandon, MB by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$16.08 CA$22.63

13.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$65.8 CA$92.6

6.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$7.94 CA$11.17

37.91%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$3.60 CA$5.07

3.89%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$1.58 CA$2.22

29.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.65 CA$2.32

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$5.30 CA$7.46

-1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$6.73 CA$9.47

-0.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$1.60 CA$2.25

40.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.21 CA$3.11

24.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$3.37 CA$4.73

-4.15%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$3.14 CA$4.41

9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$10.96 CA$15.42

31.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$9.75 CA$13.72

32.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$14.65 CA$20.62

8.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$3.80 CA$5.34

13.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.38 CA$1.94

-2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$3.03 CA$4.26

27.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$3.44 CA$4.84

23.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$2.76 CA$3.88

-7.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$2.44 CA$3.43

7.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$2.41 CA$3.39

16.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.56 CA$2.20

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$15.03 CA$21.15

-0.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$12.06 CA$16.97

15.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$2.88 CA$4.05

1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$3.42 CA$4.81

14.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$1.32 CA$1.86

107.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$72.1 CA$101

21.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.24 CA$4.56

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.26 CA$1.78

3.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$26.31 CA$37.02

9.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.03 CA$1.45

8.74%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$23.1K CA$32.6K

10.09%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$21.4K CA$30.1K

1.63%

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

$213 CA$300

$158 CA$222

34.79%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$42.44 CA$59.7

-3.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$60.7 CA$85.5

-4.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$40.92 CA$57.6

32.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$16.60 CA$23.35

223.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$12.24 CA$17.23

3.19%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$975 CA$1,372

-10.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$12.3K CA$17.3K

28.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$48.33 CA$68.0

21.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$42.33 CA$59.6

11.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$79.7 CA$112

6.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$88.0 CA$124

22.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$794 CA$1,118

73.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$599 CA$842

93.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$1,267 CA$1,783

83.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$1,241 CA$1,746

53.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

$2,266 CA$3,189

67.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

$2,235 CA$3,144

57.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$2,410 CA$3,391

21.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.02

-5.15%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Brandon, MB: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,380 in Calgary versus $794 in Brandon, MB. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Calgary, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Calgary versus $66.0 in Brandon, MB. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $333 – making Brandon, MB the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Brandon, MB: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Calgary is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,693 per month in Calgary and $2,592 in Brandon, MB. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Brandon, MB, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Calgary, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Calgary and $66.0 in Brandon, MB. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Brandon, MB, where all-in costs run around $1,728, than in Calgary at $2,462. In Brandon, MB it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calgary it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Brandon, MB – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Brandon, MB. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Calgary makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.