Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Brantford

For one person, living is cheaper in Brantford: $2,146 a month against $2,303 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. The total is higher in Calgary despite lower rent and utilities.

Calgary, Canada
Brantford, Canada
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,303
/mo nomad
Brantford
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,146
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Brantford

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

A single person spends $2,303 per month in Calgary vs $2,146 in Brantford, rent included.

  • Calgary $2,303
  • Brantford $2,146

A couple spends around $3,366 per month in Calgary vs $2,890 in Brantford, rent included.

  • Calgary $3,366
  • Brantford $2,890

A family of three spends $4,428 per month in Calgary vs $3,635 in Brantford, rent included.

  • Calgary $4,428
  • Brantford $3,635

Calgary costs about 7% more than Brantford, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Calgary and Brantford sit above the global median – Calgary by 69%, Brantford by 58%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Brantford
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.55 CA$24.52
$13.76 CA$19.22
27.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.4 CA$98.3
$56.9 CA$79.4
23.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.69 CA$14.93
$10.11 CA$14.13
5.74%
Cappuccino
$3.89 CA$5.43
$3.26 CA$4.55
19.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 CA$2.85
$1.89 CA$2.64
7.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 CA$2.62
$1.19 CA$1.66
57.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.90 CA$6.84
$4.50 CA$6.29
8.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.78 CA$8.08
$5.40 CA$7.54
7.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Brantford
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 CA$2.74
$2.00 CA$2.79
-2.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.74 CA$3.83
$2.52 CA$3.53
8.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.46 CA$7.63
$2.35 CA$3.28
132.34%
Eggs
$3.69 CA$5.15
$2.94 CA$4.11
25.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.24 CA$15.71
$11.51 CA$16.08
-2.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.54 CA$16.12
$11.81 CA$16.50
-2.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.38 CA$25.67
$16.34 CA$22.82
12.48%
Apples (1kg)
$4.90 CA$6.85
$3.41 CA$4.76
43.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 CA$1.99
$1.04 CA$1.45
36.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.88
$3.32 CA$4.64
26.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.02 CA$5.62
$3.53 CA$4.93
13.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 CA$3.77
$1.37 CA$1.92
96.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 CA$3.72
$1.83 CA$2.56
45.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.61 CA$3.65
$1.72 CA$2.41
51.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 CA$2.23
$1.20 CA$1.68
33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.00 CA$19.56
$12.86 CA$17.97
8.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.40 CA$21.51
$9.82 CA$13.73
56.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 CA$3.49
$1.93 CA$2.70
29.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.32
$2.80 CA$3.91
10.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Brantford
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.93 CA$4.09
$2.26 CA$3.16
29.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.3 CA$125
$54.1 CA$75.6
65.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.27 CA$4.57
$2.46 CA$3.44
32.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 CA$1.89
$1.75 CA$2.44
-22.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.39 CA$38.26
$28.16 CA$39.34
-2.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 CA$1.64
$1.10 CA$1.53
6.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.0K
$26.0K CA$36.3K
7.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.0K CA$29.4K
$20.2K CA$28.3K
3.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Brantford
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 CA$233
$131 CA$183
27.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.27 CA$53.5
$27.42 CA$38.31
39.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.9 CA$71.2
$43.83 CA$61.2
16.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Brantford
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 CA$71.2
$27.47 CA$38.38
85.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.17 CA$25.39
$28.72 CA$40.12
-36.73%
Cinema Ticket
$14.44 CA$20.18
$9.88 CA$13.80
46.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Brantford
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$545 CA$762
$438 CA$612
24.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K CA$22.6K
$7,409 CA$10.4K
118.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Brantford
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 CA$82.3
$56.3 CA$78.6
4.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.75 CA$55.5
$28.98 CA$40.49
37.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$130
$78.3 CA$109
19.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$154
$76.1 CA$106
44.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Brantford
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,254 CA$1,752
$1,183 CA$1,652
6.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,056 CA$1,476
$1,162 CA$1,623
-9.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,022 CA$2,825
$1,600 CA$2,235
26.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,629 CA$2,275
$1,393 CA$1,945
16.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,600 CA$5,030
$4,987 CA$6,967
-27.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,243 CA$4,530
$3,914 CA$5,469
-17.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Brantford
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,115 CA$4,352
$3,062 CA$4,278
1.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
5.22
-13.60%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 26, 2026

Last update for Brantford: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$1.1K
Brantford
$1.2K 10% $105
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$393
Brantford
$327 16.7% $65
Eating Out
Calgary
$271
Brantford
$225 16.9% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$256
Brantford
$202 21% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$136
Brantford
$108 20.7% $28
Getting Around
Calgary
$111
Brantford
$74 33% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$80
Brantford
$47 40.8% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,254 in Calgary versus $1,183 in Brantford. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Calgary versus $57 in Brantford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $327 – making Brantford the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇨🇦 Brantford
🕒 Local time
01:31 1:31 AM
02:31 2:31 AM
1 h ahead of Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
97,496
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary Brantford 2,680 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • Brantford

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 Brantford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Calgary and in Brantford compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,303 in Calgary, $2,146 in Brantford – Brantford comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Calgary compared to Brantford?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,454 per month in Calgary and $3,218 in Brantford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Calgary and in Brantford?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,254 in Calgary and $1,183 in Brantford. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city is more expensive overall: Calgary or Brantford?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,303 in Calgary and $2,146 in Brantford. That makes Brantford about 7% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Calgary and in Brantford?
Public transport costs about 39% less in Brantford. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How far does $3,000 go in Calgary compared to Brantford?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,303 in Calgary and $2,146 in Brantford, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Calgary or Brantford?
Families tend to lean toward Brantford – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Calgary or Brantford?
For expats, Brantford is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 7% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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