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: $2,462 in Calgary versus $1,891 in Medicine Hat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $2,809 in Medicine Hat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $3,726 in Medicine Hat.

Living in Calgary is roughly 30% more expensive than in Medicine Hat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Medicine Hat 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$15.31 CA$21.55

19.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$69.2 CA$97.4

0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$8.28 CA$11.65

32.25%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$3.89 CA$5.47

-3.86%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$1.97 CA$2.77

3.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.73 CA$2.44

-3.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$3.87 CA$5.44

73.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$1.50 CA$2.11

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$1.89 CA$2.66

45.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$3.34 CA$4.70

-3.29%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$3.29 CA$4.63

4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$8.20 CA$11.54

75.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$11.14 CA$15.68

15.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$13.52 CA$19.02

17.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$3.74 CA$5.26

14.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.31 CA$1.84

2.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$2.47 CA$3.48

55.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$3.30 CA$4.64

28.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$1.44 CA$2.03

77.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$1.56 CA$2.19

67.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$2.74 CA$3.86

2.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.61 CA$2.27

21.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$11.82 CA$16.63

26.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$12.86 CA$18.10

8.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$2.57 CA$3.61

13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$3.66 CA$5.14

6.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$2.33 CA$3.28

17.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$51.5 CA$72.5

70.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.42 CA$4.82

5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.37 CA$1.92

-5.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$28.83 CA$40.57

-0.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.01 CA$1.42

10.89%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$24.8K CA$34.9K

2.74%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$21.6K CA$30.5K

0.46%

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

$213 CA$300

$215 CA$302

-0.81%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$40.79 CA$57.4

0.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$59.0 CA$83.0

-1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$57.2 CA$80.4

-5.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$36.79 CA$51.8

46.10%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$12.51 CA$17.60

0.96%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$883 CA$1,243

-1.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$16.0K CA$22.5K

-0.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$52.0 CA$73.2

12.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$27.27 CA$38.37

72.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$70.4 CA$99.1

20.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$69.4 CA$97.6

55.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$830 CA$1,167

66.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$743 CA$1,045

56.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$1,379 CA$1,941

68.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$1,205 CA$1,695

58.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

$1,315 CA$1,851

187.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

$1,914 CA$2,693

83.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$2,948 CA$4,148

-0.29%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medicine Hat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $830 in Medicine Hat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medicine Hat pays 0% 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 $69.0 in Medicine Hat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $318 per month, with Medicine Hat 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 Medicine Hat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medicine Hat is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Medicine Hat. 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $830 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 $69.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $1,891 in Medicine Hat – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,891 in Medicine Hat versus $2,462 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 30% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.