Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Brantford Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Brantford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,523 per month in Calgary vs $2,099 in Brantford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,652 per month in Calgary vs $3,194 in Brantford, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,780 per month in Calgary vs $4,289 in Brantford, rent included.

Calgary costs about 20% more than Brantford, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calgary and Brantford sit above the global median – Calgary by 88%, Brantford by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.83

$13.14 CA$18.26

41.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.3

$65.3 CA$90.8

7.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.22

$9.32 CA$12.95

17.60%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.06 CA$4.25

21.90%

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

$1.99 CA$2.76

$1.52 CA$2.11

30.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.08 CA$1.51

59.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$4.82 CA$6.70

3.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.04

$6.01 CA$8.35

8.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.20 CA$3.06

0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.23 CA$3.09

19.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.53

$2.17 CA$3.02

50.23%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.02 CA$4.19

10.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.14

$4.30 CA$5.98

237.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.99

$8.78 CA$12.20

47.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.44

$10.12 CA$14.06

59.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.00

$1.81 CA$2.52

138.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$0.97 CA$1.35

39.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$2.24 CA$3.11

70.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.72 CA$5.16

12.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.29 CA$3.19

15.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$1.43 CA$1.98

91.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.03 CA$2.82

35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.64 CA$2.29

18.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.81

$13.64 CA$18.96

9.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.38

$10.03 CA$13.94

46.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$2.51 CA$3.49

13.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.58

$3.31 CA$4.61

21.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.15 CA$2.99

30.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$53.7 CA$74.6

60.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.00

$2.53 CA$3.51

42.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.70 CA$2.36

-22.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.31

$29.72 CA$41.29

-2.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.11 CA$1.54

0.90%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$24.6K CA$34.2K

0.90%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$20.2K CA$28.1K

8.56%

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

$217 CA$302

$134 CA$186

62.11%

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

$41.55 CA$57.7

$26.04 CA$36.18

59.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.7

$54.6 CA$75.8

6.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.0

$36.60 CA$50.9

49.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.4

$29.98 CA$41.66

76.18%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.74

$9.36 CA$13.00

36.43%

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

$874 CA$1,214

$561 CA$779

55.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$11.8K CA$16.3K

35.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.7

$50.3 CA$69.9

16.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$25.82 CA$35.87

79.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$63.4 CA$88.1

37.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$70.2 CA$97.5

55.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,964

$1,391 CA$1,933

1.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,629

$1,180 CA$1,639

-0.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,222

$2,052 CA$2,851

13.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,621

$2,071 CA$2,877

-8.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,407

$5,057 CA$7,027

-23.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,867

$3,973 CA$5,520

-11.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,375

$3,072 CA$4,268

2.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.31

-9.51%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brantford: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,391 in Brantford. 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 3% 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 $65.0 in Brantford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $271 – making Brantford 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 Brantford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,523 in Calgary, $2,099 in Brantford – roughly 20% apart. Calgary costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,785 per month in Calgary and $3,148 in Brantford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,523 in Calgary and $2,099 in Brantford. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 61% less in Brantford. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Brantford, where all-in costs run around $2,099, than in Calgary at $2,523. In Brantford it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calgary it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Brantford. 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.