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: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,186 in Edmonton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $3,279 in Edmonton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $4,372 in Edmonton.

Living in Calgary is roughly 11% more expensive than Edmonton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Edmonton 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$18.53 CA$25.39

-1.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$65.9 CA$90.3

6.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$11.16 CA$15.29

-1.34%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.83 CA$5.24

-2.61%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$2.10 CA$2.87

-5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.81 CA$2.47

-8.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$5.87 CA$8.04

-10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$6.04 CA$8.27

10.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.04 CA$2.79

5.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.78 CA$3.80

-3.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.18 CA$4.35

6.92%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$3.68 CA$5.05

-10.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$12.41 CA$17.00

18.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$12.34 CA$16.91

2.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$16.17 CA$22.16

-0.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.80 CA$6.57

-7.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.37 CA$1.88

-2.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.83 CA$5.25

-2.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.74 CA$5.13

14.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$2.44 CA$3.35

9.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.14 CA$2.94

21.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.73 CA$3.74

0.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.93 CA$2.64

-1.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$15.00 CA$20.54

-0.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$12.93 CA$17.72

10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$3.06 CA$4.19

-5.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.23 CA$4.42

22.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.60 CA$3.56

3.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$73.7 CA$101

19.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.23 CA$4.42

10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.65 CA$2.26

-18.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$23.59 CA$32.31

24.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.06 CA$1.45

6.60%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.7K CA$35.1K

-2.08%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$22.2K CA$30.5K

-0.05%

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

$218 CA$299

$205 CA$281

6.17%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$44.92 CA$61.6

-7.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$64.6 CA$88.5

-9.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$48.36 CA$66.3

11.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

$21.87 CA$29.97

139.51%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$13.06 CA$17.89

-3.06%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$709 CA$971

24.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$11.9K CA$16.3K

34.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$49.75 CA$68.2

16.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$41.81 CA$57.3

15.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$83.9 CA$115

5.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$102 CA$139

4.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,212 CA$1,660

15.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$953 CA$1,305

24.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$1,892 CA$2,591

21.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,615 CA$2,213

15.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$2,295 CA$3,144

64.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$2,229 CA$3,054

57.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$3,086 CA$4,227

1.02%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Edmonton: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $1,212 in Edmonton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 1% 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 in Calgary vs $66 in Edmonton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $383 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 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 1% 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: $1,396 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 $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 $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $2,186 in Edmonton – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,186 in Edmonton versus $2,433 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 11% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.