Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Canberra Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Canberra

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,582 in Canberra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,703 in Canberra.

Monthly costs are close between Calgary and Canberra; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.70

$16.20 A$23.20

13.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.0

$87.7 A$126

-20.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.35

$9.65 A$13.81

13.47%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.24

$3.43 A$4.91

9.04%

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

$2.04 CA$2.86

$2.70 A$3.87

-24.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$2.22 A$3.18

-24.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.29

$6.55 A$9.38

-20.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.41

$7.54 A$10.80

-11.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.15

$1.37 A$1.96

64.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.61 A$3.73

5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$1.79 A$2.57

80.45%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.83

$4.07 A$5.83

-15.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.19

$9.85 A$14.10

46.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.07

$9.27 A$13.27

39.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.24

$14.90 A$21.33

6.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.02

$3.39 A$4.85

26.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$2.94 A$4.21

-54.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.40

$3.06 A$4.38

25.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.97

$4.88 A$6.98

-12.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$2.29 A$3.29

11.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$2.11 A$3.01

24.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.92

$2.38 A$3.41

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.73

$1.33 A$1.90

46.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$20.99

$31.33 A$44.86

-52.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.49

$14.29 A$20.47

-2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.10

$5.17 A$7.39

-43.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$5.87 A$8.40

-33.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.84

$3.28 A$4.70

-16.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$123

$124 A$178

-29.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.04

$4.06 A$5.81

-11.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.78 A$2.55

-26.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.24

$41.31 A$59.1

-30.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.19 A$1.71

-5.88%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$29.1K A$41.7K

-12.58%

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

$21.7K CA$30.5K

$23.1K A$33.0K

-5.70%

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

$213 CA$299

$222 A$318

-4.08%

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

$40.96 CA$57.4

$29.36 A$42.03

39.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.2

$51.8 A$74.1

11.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.0

$60.6 A$86.7

-10.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.4

$20.87 A$29.89

157.55%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.71

$13.43 A$19.23

-5.96%

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

$874 CA$1,226

$1,750 A$2,506

-50.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$13.1K A$18.8K

21.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.2

$71.9 A$103

-18.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$65.9

$56.1 A$80.3

-16.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$119

$97.5 A$140

-12.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$112 A$161

-4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,935

$1,549 A$2,218

-10.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,625

$1,135 A$1,626

2.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,259

$2,815 A$4,030

-17.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,670

$1,758 A$2,517

8.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,308

$10.9K A$15.6K

-65.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,922

$7,234 A$10.4K

-51.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,121

$4,280 A$6,127

-31.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.29

-9.22%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Canberra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $1,549 in Canberra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Canberra pays 46% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $88.0 in Canberra. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $358, with Canberra 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 Canberra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Canberra. 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 $1,549 in Canberra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $874 in Calgary versus $1,750 in Canberra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Canberra – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,462 in Canberra versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Canberra but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Canberra 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.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Canberra are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Canberra wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.