Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Red Deer Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Red Deer

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,295 in Red Deer.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in Calgary versus $3,216 in Red Deer.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,622 in Calgary versus $4,137 in Red Deer.

Living in Calgary is roughly 3% more expensive than in Red Deer, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Red Deer 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.82

$18.83 CA$26.06

-4.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$97.6

$60.8 CA$84.1

16.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.79

$11.36 CA$15.72

-5.90%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.24

$5.30 CA$7.33

-28.49%

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

$2.00 CA$2.77

$2.02 CA$2.80

-0.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.73

$2.19 CA$3.03

-9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.18

$5.31 CA$7.35

-2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.11

$6.81 CA$9.43

-13.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$1.86 CA$2.58

4.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$2.69 CA$3.72

4.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.77

$3.45 CA$4.77

62.61%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.19

$3.44 CA$4.75

9.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.91

$10.27 CA$14.22

11.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.86

$16.72 CA$23.13

-31.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 CA$26.23

$17.48 CA$24.18

8.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.69

$7.21 CA$9.97

-33.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$1.74 CA$2.41

-21.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.88

$2.39 CA$3.31

77.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.74

$5.66 CA$7.83

-26.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$5.48 CA$7.59

-50.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.91

$2.20 CA$3.04

28.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$3.21 CA$4.44

-17.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$2.88 CA$3.99

-47.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.21

$16.14 CA$22.34

-9.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CA$21.80

$14.71 CA$20.35

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.26

$6.60 CA$9.13

-53.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.05

$2.11 CA$2.92

38.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$124

$54.2 CA$75.0

64.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.59

$2.76 CA$3.82

20.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.35 CA$1.87

5.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.34

$23.17 CA$32.06

19.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.06 CA$1.47

18.87%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$26.9K CA$37.2K

7.54%

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

$21.3K CA$29.5K

$19.0K CA$26.3K

12.40%

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

$183 CA$253

0.23%

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

$38.31 CA$53.0

$64.2 CA$88.8

-40.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.5

$65.4 CA$90.4

-20.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$75.9

$35.86 CA$49.62

52.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.82

$10.87 CA$15.04

71.67%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CA$19.73

$10.74 CA$14.86

32.77%

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

$828 CA$1,146

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$82.4

$51.0 CA$70.5

16.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 CA$54.6

$34.96 CA$48.37

12.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$80.5 CA$111

17.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$110 CA$153

2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,750

$1,079 CA$1,493

17.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CA$1,454

$941 CA$1,302

11.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,676

$1,597 CA$2,210

21.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,352

$1,371 CA$1,896

24.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,092

$2,750 CA$3,805

33.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,613

$2,811 CA$3,889

18.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,533

$3,032 CA$4,195

8.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

5.8

-24.14%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Last update for Red Deer: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Calgary and $1,079 in Red Deer. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 8% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $61.0 in Red Deer. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $435, 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 Red Deer: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Red Deer is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% 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: $1,265 in Calgary versus $1,079 in Red Deer. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Red Deer – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Red Deer runs roughly 65% less than in Calgary. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,295 in Red Deer versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Red Deer but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Red Deer 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 Red Deer gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.