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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,344 per month in Calgary vs $2,117 in Brantford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,470 per month in Calgary vs $2,995 in Brantford, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,597 per month in Calgary vs $3,873 in Brantford, rent included.

Calgary costs about 11% more than Brantford, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calgary and Brantford sit above the global median – Calgary by 71%, Brantford by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$13.84 CA$19.36

27.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$58.3 CA$81.5

22.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$10.26 CA$14.36

5.75%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$2.94 CA$4.11

30.95%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.04 CA$2.86

-4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.25 CA$1.76

43.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$4.63 CA$6.48

7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$5.61 CA$7.85

5.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$1.98 CA$2.77

-7.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$2.37 CA$3.31

15.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.60

$2.49 CA$3.49

118.47%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$2.91 CA$4.07

24.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$11.21 CA$15.68

3.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$11.97 CA$16.75

-3.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.50

$16.15 CA$22.59

17.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$3.53 CA$4.94

40.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.05 CA$1.48

35.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$3.51 CA$4.91

20.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$3.66 CA$5.12

11.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$1.37 CA$1.92

86.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$1.87 CA$2.62

50.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$1.69 CA$2.37

52.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.19 CA$1.67

30.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$13.20 CA$18.46

10.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$10.27 CA$14.36

51.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$1.93 CA$2.70

33.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$2.81 CA$3.92

14.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.18 CA$3.05

35.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$53.1 CA$74.3

71.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$2.48 CA$3.47

27.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.85 CA$2.59

-24.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

$28.89 CA$40.41

-4.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.07 CA$1.50

16.82%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$26.3K CA$36.8K

7.78%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$19.4K CA$27.2K

9.66%

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

$178 CA$249

$132 CA$185

34.36%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$29.16 CA$40.79

34.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$47.53 CA$66.5

7.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.5

$27.76 CA$38.84

97.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

$29.22 CA$40.88

-35.76%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$9.63 CA$13.47

51.09%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$863 CA$1,207

-5.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

$7,452 CA$10.4K

120.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$56.7 CA$79.4

4.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$28.56 CA$39.95

41.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$66.7 CA$93.2

38.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$73.5 CA$103

53.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$1,336 CA$1,870

-3.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,424

$1,160 CA$1,623

-12.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,766

$1,586 CA$2,218

24.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$1,609 CA$2,250

8.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$4,940 CA$6,911

-27.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

$3,948 CA$5,522

-14.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

$3,000 CA$4,197

7.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

5.09

-11.98%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Brantford: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Calgary versus $1,336 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 7% 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 $71.0 in Calgary versus $58.0 in Brantford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $328 – 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: $2,344 in Calgary, $2,117 in Brantford – roughly 11% apart. Calgary costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,515 per month in Calgary and $3,176 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 $2,344 in Calgary and $2,117 in Brantford. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 72% 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 $2,117, than in Calgary at $2,344. 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.