Cost of Living Comparison Between Cranbrook and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Cranbrook and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,262 in Cranbrook versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,165 in Cranbrook versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,069 in Cranbrook versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Cranbrook costs roughly 8% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cranbrook 69% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.70 CA$17.87

$18.33 CA$25.79

-30.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 CA$102

$69.9 CA$98.3

3.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 CA$14.74

$10.95 CA$15.41

-4.29%

Cappuccino

$3.60 CA$5.07

$3.74 CA$5.26

-3.74%

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

$1.64 CA$2.30

$2.04 CA$2.87

-19.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.52

$1.67 CA$2.35

7.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.40

$5.20 CA$7.32

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 CA$8.11

$6.71 CA$9.45

-14.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 CA$2.45

$2.25 CA$3.16

-22.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 CA$3.07

$2.75 CA$3.87

-20.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.15 CA$7.24

$3.23 CA$4.54

59.44%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.18

$3.45 CA$4.85

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 CA$17.51

$14.40 CA$20.26

-13.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.48

$12.89 CA$18.13

12.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 CA$17.83

$15.86 CA$22.32

-20.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.76

$4.30 CA$6.05

-4.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$1.34 CA$1.89

18.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.19

$3.85 CA$5.42

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 CA$7.21

$4.25 CA$5.99

20.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.16

$2.55 CA$3.58

16.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.63

$2.62 CA$3.69

25.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.48 CA$4.89

$2.80 CA$3.94

24.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$1.95 CA$2.74

43.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.95 CA$21.04

$14.97 CA$21.06

-0.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.85 CA$19.49

$13.90 CA$19.57

-0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.18

$2.92 CA$4.11

-22.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.44

$3.91 CA$5.50

-19.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$2.74 CA$3.85

-4.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.4 CA$87.8

$87.8 CA$124

-28.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.36

$3.60 CA$5.06

-13.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$2.01

$1.30 CA$1.83

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.58 CA$36.00

$28.70 CA$40.39

-10.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 CA$1.47

$1.12 CA$1.57

-7.14%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-0.43%

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

$21.3K CA$30.0K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-2.05%

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

$129 CA$182

$213 CA$300

-39.20%

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

$18.71 CA$26.33

$40.96 CA$57.6

-54.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 CA$77.4

$57.9 CA$81.5

-5.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.34 CA$59.6

$54.2 CA$76.2

-21.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$12.63 CA$17.77

-8.47%

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

$732 CA$1,030

$874 CA$1,230

-16.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.8K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-24.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.99 CA$61.9

$58.6 CA$82.5

-24.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 CA$66.1

$47.01 CA$66.2

-0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 CA$130

$85.1 CA$120

8.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CA$157

$108 CA$151

3.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 CA$1,540

$1,380 CA$1,942

-20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 CA$1,690

$1,159 CA$1,631

3.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 CA$2,389

$2,324 CA$3,270

-26.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 CA$2,112

$1,905 CA$2,680

-21.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,866 CA$4,032

$2,940 CA$4,136

-2.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

5.71

18.21%

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

Last update for Cranbrook: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,095 in Cranbrook and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 3% 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: $73.0 in Cranbrook vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $404 vs $396 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

Cranbrook vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cranbrook is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Calgary. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,095 in Cranbrook versus $1,380 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cranbrook – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,262 per month in Cranbrook versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,262 in Cranbrook versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cranbrook but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Cranbrook 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 Cranbrook gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.