Cost of Living Comparison Between Canmore and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Canmore and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,031 in Canmore versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,684 in Canmore versus $3,499 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,337 in Canmore versus $4,655 in Calgary.

Living in Canmore is roughly 29% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Canmore 120% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.92 CA$24.86

$18.45 CA$25.59

-2.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.2 CA$94.6

$71.5 CA$99.2

-4.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 CA$17.16

$10.68 CA$14.81

15.82%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.81

$3.93 CA$5.46

6.62%

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

$1.79 CA$2.49

$2.02 CA$2.80

-11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 CA$2.94

$1.97 CA$2.73

7.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 CA$9.80

$4.92 CA$6.82

43.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 CA$8.14

$5.90 CA$8.19

-0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.98

$2.03 CA$2.82

5.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 CA$3.45

$2.86 CA$3.97

-12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 CA$6.24

$5.72 CA$7.93

-21.33%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.71

$3.81 CA$5.29

-10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 CA$14.56

$11.56 CA$16.04

-9.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 CA$17.33

$11.95 CA$16.57

4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.32 CA$18.48

$18.97 CA$26.30

-29.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.87

$4.91 CA$6.82

-28.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$1.42 CA$1.97

-3.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$4.36 CA$6.04

-37.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 CA$6.42

$4.03 CA$5.59

14.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.97

$2.72 CA$3.77

31.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.23

$2.88 CA$3.99

5.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.57 CA$3.57

14.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.49 CA$2.07

19.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 CA$16.50

$14.71 CA$20.41

-19.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.35

$15.57 CA$21.60

-5.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 CA$4.43

$2.52 CA$3.50

26.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.27 CA$4.53

17.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.94 CA$4.07

-25.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.29 CA$43.39

$89.8 CA$125

-65.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$4.98

$3.30 CA$4.58

8.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 CA$3.92

$1.37 CA$1.90

106.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.24 CA$61.4

$27.07 CA$37.54

63.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 CA$1.44

$1.22 CA$1.69

-14.75%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

0.46%

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

$23.0K CA$31.9K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

10.15%

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

$279 CA$388

$182 CA$253

53.18%

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

$53.0 CA$73.5

$39.50 CA$54.8

34.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 CA$97.6

$51.4 CA$71.3

36.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 CA$71.5

$54.8 CA$76.0

-5.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 CA$15.16

$18.79 CA$26.07

-41.83%

Cinema Ticket

$14.30 CA$19.84

$14.52 CA$20.14

-1.52%

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

$907 CA$1,259

$819 CA$1,136

10.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,621 CA$5,021

$16.3K CA$22.7K

-77.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.87 CA$66.4

$61.8 CA$85.8

-22.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.71 CA$63.4

$40.15 CA$55.7

13.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 CA$108

$94.3 CA$131

-17.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 CA$124

$114 CA$158

-21.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 CA$2,189

$1,256 CA$1,741

25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,309

$1,089 CA$1,510

52.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 CA$4,774

$1,994 CA$2,766

72.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,635 CA$5,042

$1,706 CA$2,367

113.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,578 CA$9,123

$3,627 CA$5,031

81.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,037 CA$8,373

$3,403 CA$4,719

77.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,273 CA$4,539

$3,246 CA$4,502

0.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

4.48

8.26%

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

Last update for Canmore: September 6, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,578 in Canmore and $1,256 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Canmore pays 1% 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: $68.0 in Canmore vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $401 per month, with Canmore 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

Canmore vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Canmore, 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: $1,578 in Canmore 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 $68.0 in Canmore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,031 per month in Canmore versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $3,031 in Canmore, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Canmore. 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Canmore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.