Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Edmonton Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Edmonton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,194 in Edmonton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,321 in Edmonton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,448 in Edmonton.

Living in Calgary is roughly 15% more expensive than Edmonton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Edmonton 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$18.25 CA$25.38

1.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$65.5 CA$91.0

7.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$11.45 CA$15.93

-4.28%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.87 CA$5.38

-3.62%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.08 CA$2.89

-4.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.76 CA$2.44

-2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$5.93 CA$8.24

-15.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$5.85 CA$8.13

11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.07 CA$2.88

7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.91 CA$4.05

-8.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$3.18 CA$4.42

2.52%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.76 CA$5.23

-10.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$12.48 CA$17.36

16.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$12.38 CA$17.22

4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$16.32 CA$22.70

-1.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$4.83 CA$6.72

-10.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.32 CA$1.83

2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.85 CA$5.35

-0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.75 CA$5.22

11.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.34 CA$3.26

13.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.11 CA$2.94

29.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.61 CA$3.62

5.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.92 CA$2.66

1.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$14.87 CA$20.67

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$12.48 CA$17.36

17.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$3.07 CA$4.27

-7.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.27 CA$4.55

22.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.57 CA$3.57

8.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$72.2 CA$100

19.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$3.21 CA$4.46

12.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.64 CA$2.27

-19.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$23.35 CA$32.47

24.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.10 CA$1.53

1.82%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$25.6K CA$35.6K

-2.93%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-0.26%

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

$217 CA$302

$199 CA$277

8.91%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$44.00 CA$61.2

-5.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$64.0 CA$89.1

-9.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$47.62 CA$66.2

14.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

$21.62 CA$30.07

144.31%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$13.06 CA$18.16

-2.22%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$683 CA$950

27.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$11.9K CA$16.5K

34.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$48.94 CA$68.1

20.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$42.19 CA$58.7

10.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$83.7 CA$116

4.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$104 CA$145

4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$1,212 CA$1,685

16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$935 CA$1,300

25.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$1,878 CA$2,611

23.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$1,611 CA$2,241

17.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

$2,397 CA$3,334

62.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$2,275 CA$3,164

53.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$3,486 CA$4,848

-9.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.08

-6.09%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Edmonton: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,212 in Edmonton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edmonton pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $65.0 in Edmonton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $384 per month, with Edmonton 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 Edmonton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Edmonton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Edmonton earns 11% less. 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,212 in Edmonton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Edmonton – a meal for two runs $65.0 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 $2,194 in Edmonton – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,194 in Edmonton versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Edmonton but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Edmonton 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 Edmonton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.