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: $2,462 in Calgary versus $1,745 in Sherbrooke.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $2,616 in Sherbrooke.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $3,487 in Sherbrooke.

Living in Calgary is roughly 41% more expensive than in Sherbrooke, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Sherbrooke 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.70

$18.45 CA$25.86

-0.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.0

$70.8 CA$99.3

-1.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.35

$10.85 CA$15.22

0.92%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.24

$3.33 CA$4.66

12.31%

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

$2.04 CA$2.86

$2.03 CA$2.84

0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$1.86 CA$2.61

-10.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.29

$5.97 CA$8.36

-12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.41

$5.11 CA$7.16

31.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.15

$2.78 CA$3.90

-19.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$2.90 CA$4.07

-5.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$3.85 CA$5.39

-16.10%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.83

$3.22 CA$4.51

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.19

$12.12 CA$16.99

18.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.07

$10.02 CA$14.05

28.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.24

$16.39 CA$22.98

-3.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.02

$5.06 CA$7.09

-15.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.55 CA$2.18

-13.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.40

$3.86 CA$5.41

-0.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.97

$3.27 CA$4.58

29.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$1.77 CA$2.48

44.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$2.02 CA$2.83

29.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.92

$1.85 CA$2.60

51.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.73

$1.82 CA$2.55

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$20.99

$12.78 CA$17.92

17.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.49

$12.59 CA$17.64

10.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.10

$3.77 CA$5.29

-22.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$3.60 CA$5.05

8.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.84

$2.82 CA$3.95

-2.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$123

$63.3 CA$88.7

38.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.04

$3.76 CA$5.27

-4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$0.81 CA$1.14

60.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.24

$34.44 CA$48.28

-16.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.17 CA$1.64

-4.27%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$24.8K CA$34.7K

2.86%

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

$21.7K CA$30.5K

$21.0K CA$29.4K

3.68%

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

$213 CA$299

$73.9 CA$104

188.19%

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

$40.96 CA$57.4

$43.69 CA$61.3

-6.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.2

$53.0 CA$74.3

9.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.0

$29.69 CA$41.63

82.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.4

$6.88 CA$9.64

681.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.71

$10.22 CA$14.34

23.58%

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

$874 CA$1,226

$885 CA$1,241

-1.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$9,863 CA$13.8K

60.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.2

$63.3 CA$88.7

-7.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$65.9

$31.12 CA$43.63

51.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$119

$65.3 CA$91.6

30.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$106 CA$149

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,935

$875 CA$1,227

57.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,625

$653 CA$915

77.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,259

$1,253 CA$1,756

85.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,670

$1,018 CA$1,427

87.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,308

$2,170 CA$3,042

74.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,922

$1,770 CA$2,482

98.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,121

$2,743 CA$3,846

7.15%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sherbrooke: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $875 in Sherbrooke. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 7% 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 $396 vs $377, 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 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $875 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 $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $1,745 in Sherbrooke – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,745 in Sherbrooke versus $2,462 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 41% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.