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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,264 in Cranbrook.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,046 in Cranbrook.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $3,828 in Cranbrook.

Living in Calgary is roughly 4% more expensive than in Cranbrook, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Cranbrook 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$14.54 CA$20.16

26.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$69.1 CA$95.8

3.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$10.24 CA$14.20

4.30%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.87 CA$5.37

1.55%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$1.79 CA$2.49

12.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.78 CA$2.47

10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$5.03 CA$6.97

-2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.72 CA$7.93

3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.86 CA$2.58

9.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.47 CA$3.43

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$4.51 CA$6.26

26.83%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$3.58 CA$4.97

6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$10.49 CA$14.55

10.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$12.87 CA$17.84

-7.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$13.35 CA$18.52

42.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$3.49 CA$4.84

40.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.31 CA$1.82

8.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$2.81 CA$3.90

55.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$4.60 CA$6.38

-12.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$3.72 CA$5.16

-26.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$3.21 CA$4.46

-10.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$3.35 CA$4.65

-23.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.85 CA$2.57

-19.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$12.25 CA$16.98

20.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$14.73 CA$20.43

5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$3.26 CA$4.51

-22.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$3.78 CA$5.24

-13.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$1.42 CA$1.97

107.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$3.52 CA$4.88

-6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$2.94 CA$4.08

-53.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$44.06 CA$61.1

-38.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.08 CA$1.50

12.96%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$28.7K CA$39.9K

-0.59%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$23.1K CA$32.1K

-9.82%

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

$182 CA$253

$182 CA$252

0.41%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$17.96 CA$24.91

119.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$61.3 CA$85.0

-16.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$28.69 CA$39.79

90.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$14.76 CA$20.47

-1.63%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$911 CA$1,263

-10.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$3,673 CA$5,093

345.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$43.92 CA$60.9

40.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$53.5 CA$74.2

-24.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$77.5 CA$108

21.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$118 CA$164

-3.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,075 CA$1,491

16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$1,139 CA$1,579

-4.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,661 CA$2,304

20.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,474 CA$2,044

15.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$2,996 CA$4,155

8.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.85

-7.63%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cranbrook: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,075 in Cranbrook. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 8% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $69.0 in Cranbrook for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $378 per month, with Cranbrook 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Calgary, 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: $1,256 in Calgary versus $1,075 in Cranbrook. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $819 in Calgary versus $911 in Cranbrook. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cranbrook – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,264 in Cranbrook versus $2,344 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 4% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.