Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Halifax

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $2,453 in Halifax, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index
120

Cost of Living Index in Halifax
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Halifax Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

Halifax

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,453

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Halifax

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in Halifax actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,453 in Halifax.

Calgary $2,232
Halifax $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,363 in Calgary versus $3,578 in Halifax.

Calgary $3,363
Halifax $3,578

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,493 in Calgary versus $4,702 in Halifax.

Calgary $4,493
Halifax $4,702

Living in Calgary costs roughly 9% less than in Halifax, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 67% above, Halifax 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.54

$17.67 CA$25.18

-2.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$101

$70.9 CA$101

0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$15.06

$10.32 CA$14.71

2.33%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.38

$4.39 CA$6.26

-14.12%

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

$1.91 CA$2.73

$2.28 CA$3.25

-16.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.63

$1.79 CA$2.55

2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 CA$6.93

$5.50 CA$7.85

-11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.91

$6.41 CA$9.13

-13.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 CA$2.68

$2.36 CA$3.37

-20.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.89

$2.66 CA$3.79

2.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 CA$7.61

$3.88 CA$5.52

37.63%

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.37

$3.87 CA$5.52

-2.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 CA$16.09

$8.69 CA$12.39

29.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.34

$12.77 CA$18.20

-10.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.26 CA$26.03

$14.37 CA$20.48

27.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.62

$5.01 CA$7.14

-7.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.05

$1.75 CA$2.50

-17.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$6.02

$4.17 CA$5.94

1.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.50

$4.93 CA$7.03

-21.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.74

$2.73 CA$3.90

-4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.79

$3.02 CA$4.30

-11.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.69

$2.71 CA$3.86

-4.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CA$2.19

$1.98 CA$2.82

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 CA$20.32

$16.62 CA$23.69

-14.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CA$21.76

$16.74 CA$23.86

-8.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.44

$4.73 CA$6.75

-49.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.41

$5.27 CA$7.51

-41.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 CA$4.11

$2.08 CA$2.97

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.7 CA$126

$64.2 CA$91.5

38.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.61

$3.26 CA$4.64

-0.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.97

$1.25 CA$1.79

10.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.49 CA$37.75

$21.42 CA$30.54

23.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.68

$1.31 CA$1.86

-9.92%

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

$28.3K CA$40.3K

$27.3K CA$39.0K

3.42%

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

$20.7K CA$29.5K

$21.4K CA$30.5K

-3.05%

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

$159 CA$227

$144 CA$205

10.51%

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

$37.61 CA$53.6

$42.03 CA$59.9

-10.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.68 CA$70.8

$66.9 CA$95.4

-25.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 CA$75.9

$39.57 CA$56.4

34.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 CA$26.10

$18.25 CA$26.01

0.33%

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 CA$20.06

$11.02 CA$15.70

27.77%

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

$809 CA$1,154

$961 CA$1,369

-15.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.6K

$15.2K CA$21.7K

4.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$83.8

$58.8 CA$83.9

-0.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$55.4

$32.42 CA$46.22

19.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 CA$130

$97.7 CA$139

-6.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$155

$114 CA$163

-4.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,764

$1,439 CA$2,051

-14.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 CA$1,420

$1,265 CA$1,803

-21.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 CA$2,720

$2,453 CA$3,497

-22.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 CA$2,382

$1,900 CA$2,709

-12.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 CA$5,032

$3,214 CA$4,581

9.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 CA$4,755

$2,743 CA$3,909

21.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,130 CA$4,461

$2,784 CA$3,968

12.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.95

-8.89%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Last update for Halifax: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$996 44.8%

Halifax

$1.3K 50.9% 27% $269

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$387 17.4%

Halifax

$408 16.4% 5.3% $20

Eating Out

Calgary

$265 11.9%

Halifax

$282 11.3% 6.2% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$247 11.1%

Halifax

$253 10.2% 2.6% $6.5

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$134 6%

Halifax

$136 5.5% 1.7% $2.3

Getting Around

Calgary

$110 5%

Halifax

$82 3.3% 25.7% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$81 3.7%

Halifax

$62 2.5% 24.3% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,237 in Calgary and $1,439 in Halifax. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $71.0 in Halifax for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $408 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇨🇦 Halifax

🕒 Local time

07:55 7:55 AM

10:55 10:55 AM

3 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

403,131

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Calgary Halifax 3,760 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
Halifax

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, eating out, and clothing. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $1,237 in Calgary versus $1,439 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 $71.0 versus $71.0 in Halifax. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,232 per month in Calgary versus $2,453 in Halifax – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,453 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 10% less than in Halifax. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.