Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Saint Andrews Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Saint Andrews

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,365 in Saint Andrews.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $3,397 in Saint Andrews.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $4,429 in Saint Andrews.

Living in Calgary is roughly 3% more expensive than Saint Andrews, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Saint Andrews 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$16.87 CA$23.11

7.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$71.2 CA$97.6

-1.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$10.94 CA$14.98

0.64%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.86 CA$5.28

-3.37%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.99 CA$2.73

-0.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.64 CA$2.25

0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$5.64 CA$7.73

-6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$6.01 CA$8.24

10.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.13 CA$2.92

0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.69 CA$3.69

-0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.51 CA$4.81

-3.13%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$3.37 CA$4.62

-2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$11.11 CA$15.22

31.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$11.64 CA$15.95

8.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$14.99 CA$20.54

7.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.13 CA$5.66

7.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.35 CA$1.86

-0.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.77 CA$5.17

-1.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.82 CA$5.23

12.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$2.47 CA$3.38

8.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.47 CA$3.39

5.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.54 CA$3.48

7.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.74 CA$2.38

9.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$13.79 CA$18.90

8.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$12.45 CA$17.05

14.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$2.80 CA$3.84

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.18 CA$4.35

24.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.34 CA$3.21

14.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$63.1 CA$86.5

39.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.11 CA$4.27

14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.44 CA$1.97

-6.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$25.45 CA$34.86

15.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.11 CA$1.53

1.80%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$24.7K CA$33.9K

1.54%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$21.0K CA$28.7K

6.03%

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

$218 CA$299

$144 CA$198

51.03%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$43.53 CA$59.6

-4.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$63.7 CA$87.2

-8.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$41.16 CA$56.4

30.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$11.50 CA$15.76

10.09%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$728 CA$997

21.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$11.8K CA$16.2K

35.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$55.3 CA$75.8

5.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$39.74 CA$54.5

21.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$84.9 CA$116

4.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$107 CA$146

-0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,334 CA$1,828

4.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$1,198 CA$1,641

-0.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$2,030 CA$2,781

12.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,836 CA$2,515

1.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$5,008 CA$6,860

-24.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$3,778 CA$5,176

-7.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.46

-11.61%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrews: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $1,334 in Saint Andrews. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $71 in Saint Andrews. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $364, with Saint Andrews 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 Saint Andrews: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Andrews is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,650 in Calgary and $3,547 in Saint Andrews 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,396 in Calgary versus $1,334 in Saint Andrews. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint Andrews – 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 $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $2,365 in Saint Andrews – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,365 in Saint Andrews versus $2,433 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Saint Andrews but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Saint Andrews 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 Saint Andrews 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.