Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Sherbrooke Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Sherbrooke

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $1,701 in Sherbrooke.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $2,600 in Sherbrooke.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $3,499 in Sherbrooke.

Living in Calgary is roughly 48% more expensive than Sherbrooke, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Sherbrooke 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.83

$18.55 CA$25.77

0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.3

$70.7 CA$98.2

-0.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.22

$11.21 CA$15.58

-2.23%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.34 CA$4.64

11.68%

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

$1.99 CA$2.76

$1.96 CA$2.72

1.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.86 CA$2.58

-7.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$6.06 CA$8.42

-17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.04

$5.00 CA$6.95

30.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.77 CA$3.85

-19.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.92 CA$4.06

-8.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.53

$3.85 CA$5.34

-15.32%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.26 CA$4.53

2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.14

$12.37 CA$17.19

17.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.99

$9.95 CA$13.83

30.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.44

$16.45 CA$22.85

-1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.00

$4.97 CA$6.90

-13.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.49 CA$2.08

-9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.97 CA$5.52

-3.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.28 CA$4.56

27.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$1.80 CA$2.50

47.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$1.95 CA$2.71

40.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$1.89 CA$2.62

46.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.81 CA$2.51

7.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.81

$13.12 CA$18.22

14.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.38

$13.25 CA$18.42

10.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$3.66 CA$5.08

-22.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.58

$3.60 CA$5.01

11.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.82 CA$3.91

-0.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$62.0 CA$86.1

39.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.00

$3.78 CA$5.25

-4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$0.81 CA$1.12

62.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.31

$33.74 CA$46.88

-14.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.18 CA$1.63

-5.08%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$25.0K CA$34.8K

-0.64%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$20.3K CA$28.3K

8.08%

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

$217 CA$302

$72.4 CA$101

200.19%

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

$41.55 CA$57.7

$42.76 CA$59.4

-2.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.7

$52.4 CA$72.8

10.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.0

$29.12 CA$40.47

87.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.4

$7.10 CA$9.86

643.94%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.74

$10.51 CA$14.60

21.50%

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

$874 CA$1,214

$920 CA$1,278

-5.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$9,790 CA$13.6K

62.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.7

$63.2 CA$87.8

-6.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$30.63 CA$42.55

51.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$66.6 CA$92.5

30.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$106 CA$147

2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,964

$871 CA$1,211

62.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,629

$655 CA$910

79.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,222

$1,236 CA$1,718

87.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,621

$992 CA$1,378

90.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,407

$2,244 CA$3,118

73.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,867

$1,757 CA$2,442

99.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,375

$2,811 CA$3,906

12.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.32

-9.65%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sherbrooke: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $871 in Sherbrooke. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 12% 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 Sherbrooke. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $378, with Sherbrooke 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 Sherbrooke: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sherbrooke is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 12% 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 $871 in Sherbrooke. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sherbrooke – 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 $1,701 in Sherbrooke – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,701 in Sherbrooke versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sherbrooke but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Sherbrooke 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 Sherbrooke gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.