Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Richmond, Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,303 a month against $2,459 in Richmond, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Richmond outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Calgary, Canada
Richmond, Canada
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,303
/mo nomad
Richmond
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,459
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Richmond

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 Richmond actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,303 in Calgary versus $2,459 in Richmond.

  • Calgary $2,303
  • Richmond $2,459

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,366 in Calgary versus $3,502 in Richmond.

  • Calgary $3,366
  • Richmond $3,502

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,428 in Calgary versus $4,545 in Richmond.

  • Calgary $4,428
  • Richmond $4,545

Living in Calgary costs roughly 6% less than in Richmond.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 69% above, Richmond 81% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Richmond
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.55 CA$24.52
$16.21 CA$22.64
8.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.4 CA$98.3
$71.6 CA$100
-1.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.69 CA$14.93
$9.08 CA$12.69
17.73%
Cappuccino
$3.89 CA$5.43
$4.22 CA$5.89
-7.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 CA$2.85
$2.04 CA$2.85
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 CA$2.62
$1.54 CA$2.15
22.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.90 CA$6.84
$5.42 CA$7.57
-9.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.78 CA$8.08
$5.56 CA$7.77
3.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Richmond
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 CA$2.74
$2.20 CA$3.07
-10.91%
White Bread (500g)
$2.74 CA$3.83
$2.16 CA$3.01
26.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.46 CA$7.63
$2.36 CA$3.29
131.36%
Eggs
$3.69 CA$5.15
$3.15 CA$4.40
17.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.24 CA$15.71
$8.84 CA$12.35
27.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.54 CA$16.12
$10.81 CA$15.10
6.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.38 CA$25.67
$9.74 CA$13.61
88.71%
Apples (1kg)
$4.90 CA$6.85
$2.65 CA$3.70
84.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 CA$1.99
$1.29 CA$1.81
10.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.88
$2.63 CA$3.68
60.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.02 CA$5.62
$3.63 CA$5.07
10.74%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 CA$3.77
$2.10 CA$2.93
28.10%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 CA$3.72
$1.80 CA$2.51
47.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.61 CA$3.65
$2.03 CA$2.84
28.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 CA$2.23
$1.22 CA$1.70
31.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.00 CA$19.56
$14.39 CA$20.10
-2.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.40 CA$21.51
$12.73 CA$17.79
20.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 CA$3.49
$2.18 CA$3.05
14.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.32
$2.18 CA$3.05
41.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Richmond
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.93 CA$4.09
$2.17 CA$3.03
35.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.3 CA$125
$79.5 CA$111
12.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.27 CA$4.57
$2.98 CA$4.16
9.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 CA$1.89
$1.39 CA$1.95
-2.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.39 CA$38.26
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 CA$1.64
$1.34 CA$1.87
-12.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.0K
$26.7K CA$37.3K
4.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.0K CA$29.4K
$20.8K CA$29.1K
1.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Richmond
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 CA$233
$132 CA$184
26.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.27 CA$53.5
$32.35 CA$45.19
18.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.9 CA$71.2
$46.70 CA$65.3
9.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Richmond
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 CA$71.2
$23.75 CA$33.18
114.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.17 CA$25.39
$2.41 CA$3.37
653.94%
Cinema Ticket
$14.44 CA$20.18
$12.46 CA$17.40
15.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Richmond
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$545 CA$762
$800 CA$1,117
-31.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K CA$22.6K
$10.7K CA$14.9K
51.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Richmond
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 CA$82.3
$53.2 CA$74.3
10.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.75 CA$55.5
$32.29 CA$45.11
23.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$130
$95.4 CA$133
-2.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$154
$118 CA$165
-7.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Richmond
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,254 CA$1,752
$1,831 CA$2,558
-31.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,056 CA$1,476
$1,409 CA$1,968
-25.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,022 CA$2,825
$2,523 CA$3,524
-19.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,629 CA$2,275
$2,140 CA$2,989
-23.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,600 CA$5,030
$8,487 CA$11.9K
-57.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,243 CA$4,530
$6,437 CA$8,993
-49.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Richmond
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,115 CA$4,352
$3,072 CA$4,292
1.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
4.77
-5.45%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 26, 2026

Last update for Richmond: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$1.1K
Richmond
$1.4K 33.3% $352
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$393
Richmond
$298 24% $94
Eating Out
Calgary
$271
Richmond
$260 4% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$256
Richmond
$211 17.6% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$136
Richmond
$135 0.9% $1.3
Getting Around
Calgary
$111
Richmond
$98 11.6% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$80
Richmond
$49 39% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,254 in Calgary and $1,831 in Richmond. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $72 in Richmond. Groceries flip the comparison at $393 vs $298, with Richmond cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇨🇦 Richmond
🕒 Local time
00:08 12:08 AM
23:08 11:08 PM
1 h behind Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
198,309
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary Richmond 680 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • Richmond

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 Richmond: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $3,454 in Calgary and $3,689 in Richmond to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Calgary and Richmond?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,254 in Calgary versus $1,831 in Richmond. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Calgary or in Richmond?
Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $70 versus $72 in Richmond. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Calgary and in Richmond?
All in, you’ll spend $2,303 per month in Calgary versus $2,459 in Richmond – Calgary is about 6% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is Calgary or Richmond more family-friendly?
For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Richmond, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Calgary vs other spots: cost of living compared

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