Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Cranbrook Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Cranbrook

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,255 in Cranbrook.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,121 in Cranbrook.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $3,987 in Cranbrook.

Living in Calgary is roughly 12% more expensive than Cranbrook, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Cranbrook 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.74

$13.13 CA$18.19

41.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.0

$74.6 CA$103

-6.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.17

$10.29 CA$14.25

6.51%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.17

$3.59 CA$4.96

3.90%

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

$1.99 CA$2.75

$1.66 CA$2.30

19.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.81 CA$2.50

-4.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.94

$5.26 CA$7.28

-4.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.01

$5.96 CA$8.26

9.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$1.71 CA$2.37

29.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.69

$2.19 CA$3.03

21.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$5.28 CA$7.31

-38.26%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.64

$3.62 CA$5.02

-7.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.07

$12.40 CA$17.17

16.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.93

$15.05 CA$20.84

-13.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.36

$12.85 CA$17.79

25.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$5.98

$4.28 CA$5.92

0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.57 CA$2.18

-14.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.30

$4.43 CA$6.14

-13.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.79

$5.05 CA$7.00

-17.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.67

$2.89 CA$4.00

-8.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$3.24 CA$4.48

-15.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$3.59 CA$4.97

-23.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$2.77 CA$3.83

-29.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.74

$14.91 CA$20.64

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.31

$12.97 CA$17.96

13.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$2.17 CA$3.01

30.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.56

$3.11 CA$4.30

29.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$2.52 CA$3.49

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$119

$62.4 CA$86.4

38.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$4.99

$3.25 CA$4.49

10.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.42 CA$1.96

-7.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.17

$25.29 CA$35.02

14.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.55

$1.04 CA$1.44

7.69%

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

$24.9K CA$34.4K

$24.8K CA$34.4K

0.17%

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

$22.0K CA$30.4K

$21.1K CA$29.3K

4.03%

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

$217 CA$301

$128 CA$177

70.21%

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

$41.55 CA$57.5

$18.57 CA$25.71

123.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.4

$54.9 CA$76.0

5.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$75.8

$42.20 CA$58.4

29.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.1

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.68

$11.77 CA$16.29

8.50%

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

$874 CA$1,210

$747 CA$1,035

16.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$11.9K CA$16.4K

34.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.5

$43.74 CA$60.6

34.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.4

$47.36 CA$65.6

-1.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$91.7 CA$127

-4.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$111 CA$153

-1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,957

$1,107 CA$1,533

27.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,623

$1,162 CA$1,609

0.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,211

$1,743 CA$2,413

33.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,612

$1,485 CA$2,056

27.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,389

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,851

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,360

$2,938 CA$4,067

7.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.75

-15.41%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cranbrook: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,107 in Cranbrook. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 7% 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 Cranbrook for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $405 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

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 Cranbrook: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cranbrook is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,107 in Cranbrook. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cranbrook – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,255 in Cranbrook – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,255 in Cranbrook versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cranbrook but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Cranbrook 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 Cranbrook gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.