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: $2,482 in Canberra versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,566 in Canberra versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,650 in Canberra versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Canberra costs roughly 2% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Canberra 85% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 A$22.37

$18.59 CA$25.74

-13.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 A$120

$70.0 CA$97.0

23.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 A$13.74

$10.96 CA$15.17

-10.04%

Cappuccino

$3.36 A$4.68

$3.73 CA$5.17

-9.92%

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

$2.58 A$3.59

$1.99 CA$2.75

29.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 A$3.24

$1.72 CA$2.39

34.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 A$8.99

$5.01 CA$6.94

28.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 A$10.46

$6.50 CA$9.01

15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 A$1.98

$2.22 CA$3.08

-36.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.74

$2.67 CA$3.69

0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 A$2.57

$3.26 CA$4.52

-43.25%

Eggs

$4.10 A$5.72

$3.35 CA$4.64

22.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 A$13.96

$14.50 CA$20.07

-30.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 A$12.85

$12.95 CA$17.93

-28.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.94 A$20.82

$16.15 CA$22.36

-7.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.56

$4.32 CA$5.98

-24.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 A$3.98

$1.35 CA$1.88

111.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.26

$3.83 CA$5.30

-20.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.79

$4.18 CA$5.79

16.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.65 CA$3.67

-13.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.93

$2.74 CA$3.79

-23.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.31

$2.76 CA$3.82

-13.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.80

$1.95 CA$2.70

-33.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.41 A$42.38

$14.98 CA$20.74

103.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 A$20.63

$14.67 CA$20.31

0.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.10 A$7.10

$2.84 CA$3.94

79.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 A$8.51

$4.02 CA$5.56

51.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 A$4.55

$2.80 CA$3.88

16.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$86.2 CA$119

39.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 A$5.69

$3.60 CA$4.99

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.39

$1.32 CA$1.82

30.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.63 A$56.6

$29.01 CA$40.17

40.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.60

$1.12 CA$1.55

2.68%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$24.9K CA$34.4K

15.48%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$22.0K CA$30.4K

3.00%

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

$222 A$310

$217 CA$301

2.37%

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

$30.13 A$41.99

$41.55 CA$57.5

-27.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.7

$58.1 CA$80.4

-10.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 A$83.6

$54.7 CA$75.8

9.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 A$28.92

$52.8 CA$73.1

-60.72%

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 A$18.93

$12.77 CA$17.68

6.42%

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

$1,763 A$2,456

$874 CA$1,210

101.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K A$18.7K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

-15.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 A$98.3

$58.8 CA$81.5

19.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 A$79.0

$46.47 CA$64.4

21.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 A$139

$87.2 CA$121

14.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 A$161

$109 CA$151

5.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 A$2,157

$1,414 CA$1,957

9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 A$1,589

$1,172 CA$1,623

-2.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 A$3,978

$2,319 CA$3,211

23.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 A$2,444

$1,886 CA$2,612

-7.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,990 A$12.5K

$3,892 CA$5,389

130.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,079 A$8,471

$3,503 CA$4,851

73.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,626 A$6,446

$3,149 CA$4,360

46.88%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,548 in Canberra and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Canberra pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Canberra vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $397, 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

Canberra is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Canberra pays 47% 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: $1,548 in Canberra versus $1,414 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Canberra – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,482 per month in Canberra versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Canberra is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Canberra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.