Cost of Living Comparison Between Canberra and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Canberra and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,980 in Canberra versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,172 in Canberra versus $3,499 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,364 in Canberra versus $4,655 in Calgary.

Living in Canberra is roughly 27% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Canberra 116% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 A$28.16

$18.45 CA$25.59

9.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 A$132

$71.5 CA$99.2

32.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 A$15.38

$10.68 CA$14.81

3.28%

Cappuccino

$4.24 A$5.91

$3.93 CA$5.46

7.89%

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

$3.31 A$4.62

$2.02 CA$2.80

63.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 A$3.94

$1.97 CA$2.73

43.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.72 A$12.16

$4.92 CA$6.82

77.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.09 A$14.07

$5.90 CA$8.19

71.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 A$2.32

$2.03 CA$2.82

-18.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 A$4.83

$2.86 CA$3.97

20.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.69

$5.72 CA$7.93

-53.85%

Eggs

$5.63 A$7.84

$3.81 CA$5.29

47.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 A$20.08

$11.56 CA$16.04

24.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.15 A$15.55

$11.95 CA$16.57

-6.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 A$22.72

$18.97 CA$26.30

-14.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 A$5.69

$4.91 CA$6.82

-16.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.53

$1.42 CA$1.97

128.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 A$5.15

$4.36 CA$6.04

-15.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 A$7.11

$4.03 CA$5.59

26.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.43

$2.72 CA$3.77

16.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.03

$2.88 CA$3.99

0.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 A$3.80

$2.57 CA$3.57

6.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.49 CA$2.07

-2.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.77 A$65.2

$14.71 CA$20.41

217.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 A$20.94

$15.57 CA$21.60

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.80 A$6.69

$2.52 CA$3.50

90.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 A$8.08

$3.27 CA$4.53

77.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 A$4.90

$2.94 CA$4.07

19.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 A$132

$89.8 CA$125

5.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 A$5.75

$3.30 CA$4.58

24.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.37 CA$1.90

18.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.00 A$61.4

$27.07 CA$37.54

62.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.83

$1.22 CA$1.69

7.38%

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

$28.1K A$39.2K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

-1.54%

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

$31.0K A$43.3K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

48.62%

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

$189 A$264

$182 CA$253

3.65%

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

$28.38 A$39.57

$39.50 CA$54.8

-28.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 A$81.6

$51.4 CA$71.3

13.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.6 A$125

$54.8 CA$76.0

63.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.52 A$39.77

$18.79 CA$26.07

51.78%

Cinema Ticket

$16.91 A$23.58

$14.52 CA$20.14

16.46%

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

$2,492 A$3,475

$819 CA$1,136

204.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K A$29.0K

$16.3K CA$22.7K

27.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 A$109

$61.8 CA$85.8

26.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 A$80.7

$40.15 CA$55.7

44.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 A$170

$94.3 CA$131

29.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$192

$114 CA$158

21.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 A$2,572

$1,256 CA$1,741

46.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 A$2,197

$1,089 CA$1,510

44.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,365 A$4,691

$1,994 CA$2,766

68.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,122 A$2,958

$1,706 CA$2,367

24.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.5K A$16.1K

$3,627 CA$5,031

218.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,639 A$10.7K

$3,403 CA$4,719

124.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,447 A$6,201

$3,246 CA$4,502

37.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

4.48

32.81%

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

Last update for Canberra: September 6, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,845 in Canberra and $1,256 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Canberra pays 37% 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: $95.0 in Canberra vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $422 vs $401 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

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

Canberra vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Canberra, 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: $1,845 in Canberra versus $1,256 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $95.0 in Canberra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,980 per month in Canberra versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,980 in Canberra, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Canberra. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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.

Safety-wise, Canberra and Calgary are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Canberra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.