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: $2,462 in Canberra versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,582 in Canberra versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,703 in Canberra versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Monthly costs are close between Canberra and Calgary; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.20 A$23.20

$18.33 CA$25.70

-11.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.7 A$126

$69.9 CA$98.0

25.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 A$13.81

$10.95 CA$15.35

-11.87%

Cappuccino

$3.43 A$4.91

$3.74 CA$5.24

-8.29%

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

$2.70 A$3.87

$2.04 CA$2.86

32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 A$3.18

$1.67 CA$2.34

32.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.55 A$9.38

$5.20 CA$7.29

25.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.54 A$10.80

$6.71 CA$9.41

12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.96

$2.25 CA$3.15

-39.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 A$3.73

$2.75 CA$3.85

-5.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.57

$3.23 CA$4.53

-44.58%

Eggs

$4.07 A$5.83

$3.45 CA$4.83

17.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 A$14.10

$14.40 CA$20.19

-31.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 A$13.27

$12.89 CA$18.07

-28.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 A$21.33

$15.86 CA$22.24

-6.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 A$4.85

$4.30 CA$6.02

-21.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.21

$1.34 CA$1.88

119.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.38

$3.85 CA$5.40

-20.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.98

$4.25 CA$5.97

14.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.29

$2.55 CA$3.57

-10.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 A$3.01

$2.62 CA$3.68

-19.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.41

$2.80 CA$3.92

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 A$1.90

$1.95 CA$2.73

-31.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.33 A$44.86

$14.97 CA$20.99

109.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 A$20.47

$13.90 CA$19.49

2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.17 A$7.39

$2.92 CA$4.10

77.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 A$8.40

$3.91 CA$5.48

50.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.70

$2.74 CA$3.84

19.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 A$178

$87.8 CA$123

41.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 A$5.81

$3.60 CA$5.04

12.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 A$2.55

$1.30 CA$1.82

36.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.31 A$59.1

$28.70 CA$40.24

43.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.71

$1.12 CA$1.57

6.25%

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

$29.1K A$41.7K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

14.40%

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

$23.1K A$33.0K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

6.04%

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

$222 A$318

$213 CA$299

4.25%

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

$29.36 A$42.03

$40.96 CA$57.4

-28.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.1

$57.9 CA$81.2

-10.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$86.7

$54.2 CA$76.0

11.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.87 A$29.89

$53.8 CA$75.4

-61.17%

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 A$19.23

$12.63 CA$17.71

6.33%

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

$1,750 A$2,506

$874 CA$1,226

100.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K A$18.8K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-17.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 A$103

$58.6 CA$82.2

22.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 A$80.3

$47.01 CA$65.9

19.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 A$140

$85.1 CA$119

14.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$161

$108 CA$151

4.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 A$2,218

$1,380 CA$1,935

12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,626

$1,159 CA$1,625

-2.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,815 A$4,030

$2,324 CA$3,259

21.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 A$2,517

$1,905 CA$2,670

-7.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K A$15.6K

$3,786 CA$5,308

188.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,234 A$10.4K

$3,511 CA$4,922

106.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,280 A$6,127

$2,940 CA$4,121

45.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

5.71

10.16%

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

Last update for Canberra: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,549 in Canberra and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Canberra pays 46% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $88.0 in Canberra vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $358 vs $396, with Canberra 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

Canberra vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 46% 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: $1,549 in Canberra versus $1,380 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,750 in Canberra versus $874 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Canberra – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,462 in Canberra versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Canberra but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Canberra 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.

It comes down to priorities – Canberra wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.