Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Drummondville Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Drummondville

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $1,556 in Drummondville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $2,376 in Drummondville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $3,195 in Drummondville.

Living in Calgary is roughly 62% more expensive than Drummondville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Drummondville 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$12.36 CA$17.18

50.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$65.8 CA$91.5

6.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$10.67 CA$14.84

2.72%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.60 CA$5.01

3.61%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$0.86 CA$1.19

131.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$0.77 CA$1.07

123.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$3.95 CA$5.49

26.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$5.23 CA$7.27

24.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.66 CA$2.30

33.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$1.86 CA$2.58

43.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$1.49 CA$2.07

118.79%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$2.71 CA$3.77

23.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$9.02 CA$12.54

60.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$10.68 CA$14.86

21.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$14.18 CA$19.72

13.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$3.76 CA$5.23

14.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.34 CA$1.87

0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.76 CA$5.22

1.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.70 CA$5.14

12.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$1.91 CA$2.66

38.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$1.85 CA$2.58

48.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.27 CA$3.16

21.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.23 CA$1.72

58.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$13.14 CA$18.27

14.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$10.68 CA$14.85

37.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$3.21 CA$4.46

-11.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.85 CA$5.35

4.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$1.87 CA$2.61

49.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$62.8 CA$87.4

37.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$3.62 CA$5.03

-0.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$2.33 CA$3.25

-43.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$31.25 CA$43.46

-7.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.16 CA$1.62

-3.45%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$24.5K CA$34.1K

1.34%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

7.31%

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

$217 CA$302

$51.9 CA$72.1

318.80%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$33.57 CA$46.69

23.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$43.98 CA$61.2

32.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$25.68 CA$35.71

113.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

$13.65 CA$18.98

286.96%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$7.32 CA$10.18

74.45%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$735 CA$1,022

18.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$2,628 CA$3,655

506.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$22.22 CA$30.91

164.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$52.9 CA$73.5

-12.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$73.7 CA$103

18.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$36.35 CA$50.6

199.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$833 CA$1,159

69.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$713 CA$991

64.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$1,190 CA$1,654

94.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$1,088 CA$1,513

73.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

$4,955 CA$6,892

-21.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$3,774 CA$5,249

-7.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$2,693 CA$3,745

16.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.87

-16.89%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Drummondville: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $833 in Drummondville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 17% 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 $66.0 in Drummondville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $314 per month, with Drummondville 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 Drummondville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Drummondville is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 17% 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 $833 in Drummondville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Drummondville – a meal for two runs $66.0 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 $1,556 in Drummondville – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,556 in Drummondville versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Drummondville but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Drummondville 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 Drummondville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.