Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Medicine Hat Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Medicine Hat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $1,870 in Medicine Hat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $2,748 in Medicine Hat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $3,625 in Medicine Hat.

Living in Calgary is roughly 35% more expensive than Medicine Hat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Medicine Hat 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$15.57 CA$21.65

19.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$71.3 CA$99.2

-1.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$8.16 CA$11.35

34.31%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.72 CA$5.17

0.27%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.72 CA$2.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$5.06 CA$7.04

-0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$3.93 CA$5.47

65.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.55 CA$2.15

43.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$1.82 CA$2.53

46.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$3.42 CA$4.75

-4.68%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.22 CA$4.48

4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$8.18 CA$11.37

77.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$11.25 CA$15.65

15.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$13.38 CA$18.61

20.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$3.83 CA$5.33

12.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.34 CA$1.86

0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$2.51 CA$3.49

52.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.34 CA$4.65

25.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$1.49 CA$2.07

77.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$1.53 CA$2.13

79.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.64 CA$3.68

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.56 CA$2.16

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$11.73 CA$16.32

27.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$13.06 CA$18.16

12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$2.64 CA$3.67

7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.66 CA$5.09

9.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.34 CA$3.25

19.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$51.0 CA$70.9

69.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$3.59 CA$4.99

0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.30 CA$1.81

1.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$29.19 CA$40.60

-0.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.06 CA$1.47

5.66%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

-0.47%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$22.2K CA$30.8K

-0.86%

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

$217 CA$302

$212 CA$295

2.29%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$41.51 CA$57.7

0.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$59.0 CA$82.1

-1.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$57.3 CA$79.7

-4.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

$37.53 CA$52.2

40.74%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$12.28 CA$17.07

3.99%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$877 CA$1,220

-0.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$15.8K CA$22.0K

0.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$53.2 CA$74.0

10.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$27.81 CA$38.67

67.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$69.3 CA$96.4

25.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$70.0 CA$97.3

55.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$815 CA$1,134

73.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$730 CA$1,016

60.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$1,406 CA$1,955

64.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$1,201 CA$1,670

57.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

$1,371 CA$1,907

183.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$1,972 CA$2,742

77.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$2,997 CA$4,168

5.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medicine Hat: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $815 in Medicine Hat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 5% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $71.0 in Medicine Hat. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $319, with Medicine Hat 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 Medicine Hat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medicine Hat is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 5% 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $815 in Medicine Hat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medicine Hat – a meal for two runs $71.0 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 $1,870 in Medicine Hat – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,870 in Medicine Hat versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Medicine Hat but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Medicine Hat 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 Medicine Hat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.