Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Burnaby Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Burnaby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,777 in Burnaby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $4,049 in Burnaby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $5,321 in Burnaby.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 11% less than in Burnaby, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Burnaby 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$14.84 CA$20.88

23.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$74.8 CA$105

-6.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$9.25 CA$13.02

18.38%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$4.24 CA$5.97

-11.79%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$1.80 CA$2.53

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.34 CA$1.89

24.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$5.95 CA$8.37

-12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$5.67 CA$7.98

18.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$2.50 CA$3.52

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$4.66 CA$6.55

-30.69%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$3.27 CA$4.60

5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$12.46 CA$17.54

15.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$11.71 CA$16.47

10.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$21.40 CA$30.12

-25.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$3.36 CA$4.72

27.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.33 CA$1.88

0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$3.03 CA$4.27

27.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$3.85 CA$5.42

10.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$2.91 CA$4.10

-12.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$3.07 CA$4.32

-14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$2.47 CA$3.48

13.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.91 CA$2.68

2.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$14.81 CA$20.84

1.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$12.95 CA$18.22

7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$2.49 CA$3.50

17.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$2.55 CA$3.58

53.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$2.27 CA$3.19

20.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$77.6 CA$109

13.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$2.73 CA$3.85

31.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.35 CA$1.90

-3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$26.16 CA$36.82

9.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.37 CA$1.93

-18.25%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$25.4K CA$35.7K

0.47%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$20.1K CA$28.3K

7.95%

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

$213 CA$300

$136 CA$192

56.37%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$41.79 CA$58.8

-1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$54.8 CA$77.1

5.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$31.21 CA$43.91

73.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$5.36 CA$7.54

902.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$16.13 CA$22.70

-21.70%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$534 CA$752

63.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$8,169 CA$11.5K

94.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$54.8 CA$77.1

6.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$53.8 CA$75.7

-12.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$94.3 CA$133

-9.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$94.6 CA$133

13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$1,884 CA$2,651

-26.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$1,650 CA$2,321

-29.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$4,117 CA$5,793

-43.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$2,678 CA$3,768

-28.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

$6,680 CA$9,400

-43.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

$5,538 CA$7,792

-36.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$3,116 CA$4,385

-5.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.54

-12.69%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Burnaby: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $1,884 in Burnaby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burnaby pays 6% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $75.0 in Burnaby. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $392, with Burnaby cheaper for home cooking.

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 Burnaby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary and Burnaby differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,462 vs $2,777 including rent). Calgary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Burnaby. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,380 in Calgary versus $1,884 in Burnaby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $874 in Calgary versus $534 in Burnaby. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Burnaby pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,777 in Burnaby, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Burnaby. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Burnaby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.