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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $1,476 in Drummondville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $2,305 in Drummondville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $3,134 in Drummondville.

Living in Calgary is roughly 59% more expensive than in Drummondville, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Drummondville 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$12.91 CA$17.91

42.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$73.5 CA$102

-2.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$9.53 CA$13.22

12.07%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.22 CA$4.47

22.05%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$1.66 CA$2.30

21.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.07 CA$1.49

84.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$3.65 CA$5.06

34.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.00 CA$6.93

18.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.57 CA$2.18

29.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.12 CA$2.94

34.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$1.47 CA$2.04

289.12%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$2.70 CA$3.74

41.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$8.82 CA$12.23

31.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$10.68 CA$14.81

11.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$16.57 CA$22.98

14.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$3.79 CA$5.25

29.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.33 CA$1.84

6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$3.71 CA$5.15

17.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$3.51 CA$4.86

14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.00 CA$2.78

36.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$1.85 CA$2.57

55.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.19 CA$3.03

17.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.20 CA$1.67

24.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$14.92 CA$20.69

-1.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$11.93 CA$16.55

30.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$2.64 CA$3.66

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$3.67 CA$5.08

-10.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$1.78 CA$2.47

65.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$2.83 CA$3.92

16.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.55 CA$2.15

-11.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$19.51 CA$27.06

38.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.12 CA$1.55

8.93%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$28.5K CA$39.5K

0.22%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

-0.22%

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

$182 CA$253

$50.4 CA$70.0

261.73%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$32.39 CA$44.93

21.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$49.93 CA$69.3

2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$25.82 CA$35.82

112.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

$13.14 CA$18.22

43.00%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$7.35 CA$10.19

97.55%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$736 CA$1,021

11.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$2,513 CA$3,485

550.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$22.02 CA$30.55

180.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$39.14 CA$54.3

2.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$73.7 CA$102

27.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$35.85 CA$49.72

217.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$840 CA$1,165

49.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$690 CA$957

57.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,137 CA$1,576

75.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,086 CA$1,506

57.19%

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

$2,609 CA$3,618

24.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.17

7.43%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Drummondville: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $840 in Drummondville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 24% 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 $74.0 in Drummondville. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $320, with Drummondville 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 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 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% 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 $840 in Drummondville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $819 in Calgary versus $736 in Drummondville. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Drummondville – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,476 in Drummondville versus $2,344 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 59% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.