Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Guelph Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Guelph

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,651 in Guelph.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $3,658 in Guelph.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $4,666 in Guelph.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 8% less than in Guelph, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Guelph 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$20.52 CA$28.11

-11.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$72.9 CA$99.9

-3.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$11.81 CA$16.17

-6.77%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.65 CA$5.00

2.19%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.86 CA$2.55

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.79 CA$2.46

-7.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$5.09 CA$6.97

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$5.73 CA$7.85

16.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.08 CA$2.85

3.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.59 CA$3.54

3.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.25 CA$4.46

4.62%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$3.17 CA$4.34

3.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$8.73 CA$11.95

67.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$8.60 CA$11.79

46.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$25.69 CA$35.20

-37.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.13 CA$5.66

7.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$0.92 CA$1.25

45.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.28 CA$4.50

13.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$2.19 CA$3.00

95.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$2.97 CA$4.06

-10.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.63 CA$3.60

-0.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.43 CA$3.33

12.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.44 CA$1.98

31.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$11.19 CA$15.33

33.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$11.19 CA$15.32

27.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$2.66 CA$3.64

9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$2.77 CA$3.80

43.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.36 CA$3.24

13.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$61.9 CA$84.8

42.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$2.35 CA$3.22

51.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.68 CA$2.30

-20.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$33.47 CA$45.85

-12.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.0K CA$34.3K

0.35%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$21.5K CA$29.4K

3.39%

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

$218 CA$299

$131 CA$180

66.25%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$54.3 CA$74.3

-23.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$62.2 CA$85.2

-6.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$54.3 CA$74.4

-1.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

$18.60 CA$25.49

181.61%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$11.03 CA$15.11

14.78%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$933 CA$1,278

-5.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$11.0K CA$15.1K

46.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$62.0 CA$85.0

-6.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$39.19 CA$53.7

23.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$85.4 CA$117

3.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$125 CA$171

-15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,473 CA$2,018

-5.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$1,467 CA$2,009

-19.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$2,115 CA$2,898

8.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$2,000 CA$2,739

-7.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$4,855 CA$6,651

-22.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$5,029 CA$6,890

-30.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$3,330 CA$4,562

-6.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.55

-12.82%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Guelph: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $1,473 in Guelph. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guelph pays 7% 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 $73 in Guelph. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $351, with Guelph 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 Guelph: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Guelph earns 7% 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: $1,396 in Calgary versus $1,473 in Guelph. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $73.0 in Guelph. 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 $2,651 in Guelph – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,651 in Guelph, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Guelph. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.