Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Halifax Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Halifax

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,514 in Halifax.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,626 in Halifax.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,737 in Halifax.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 2% less than in Halifax, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Halifax 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.70

$18.05 CA$25.30

1.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.0

$66.1 CA$92.6

5.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.35

$10.34 CA$14.50

5.90%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.24

$3.89 CA$5.45

-3.86%

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

$2.04 CA$2.86

$2.28 CA$3.20

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$1.73 CA$2.43

-3.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.29

$5.73 CA$8.03

-9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.41

$6.82 CA$9.57

-1.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.15

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.90 CA$4.06

-5.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$4.77 CA$6.69

-32.29%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.83

$3.92 CA$5.49

-11.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.19

$9.87 CA$13.84

45.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.07

$13.23 CA$18.54

-2.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.24

$13.80 CA$19.35

14.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.02

$5.07 CA$7.11

-15.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.68 CA$2.36

-20.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.40

$4.26 CA$5.97

-9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.97

$4.36 CA$6.12

-2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$2.96 CA$4.15

-13.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$2.67 CA$3.74

-1.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.92

$2.56 CA$3.59

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.22 CA$3.11

-12.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$20.99

$15.28 CA$21.42

-2.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.49

$15.66 CA$21.95

-11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.10

$3.80 CA$5.33

-23.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$4.58 CA$6.42

-14.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.84

$2.22 CA$3.11

23.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$123

$66.9 CA$93.7

31.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.04

$3.61 CA$5.06

-0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.20 CA$1.68

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.24

$22.26 CA$31.20

28.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.26 CA$1.76

-11.11%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$25.1K CA$35.1K

1.70%

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

$21.7K CA$30.5K

$21.9K CA$30.7K

-0.66%

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

$213 CA$299

$158 CA$221

35.19%

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

$40.96 CA$57.4

$49.40 CA$69.3

-17.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.2

$70.0 CA$98.2

-17.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.0

$53.2 CA$74.6

1.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.4

$11.78 CA$16.51

356.28%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.71

$11.26 CA$15.78

12.17%

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

$874 CA$1,226

$919 CA$1,289

-4.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$15.3K CA$21.5K

3.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.2

$66.0 CA$92.6

-11.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$65.9

$33.87 CA$47.49

38.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$119

$98.0 CA$137

-13.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$110 CA$155

-2.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,935

$1,524 CA$2,136

-9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,625

$1,231 CA$1,725

-5.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,259

$2,380 CA$3,337

-2.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,670

$1,943 CA$2,724

-1.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,308

$3,167 CA$4,441

19.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,922

$2,741 CA$3,843

28.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,121

$2,790 CA$3,911

5.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.12

-6.70%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Halifax: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $1,524 in Halifax. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 5% 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 $66.0 in Halifax. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $408, with Calgary 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 Halifax: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $1,524 in Halifax. 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 $66.0 in Halifax. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $2,514 in Halifax – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,514 in Halifax, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Halifax. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Halifax, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Halifax are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Halifax. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.