Cost of Living Comparison Between Drumheller and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Drumheller and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,419 in Drumheller versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,390 in Drumheller versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,361 in Drumheller versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Drumheller is roughly 3% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Drumheller 76% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.89 CA$27.42

$17.94 CA$24.74

10.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.57 CA$60.1

$70.5 CA$97.3

-38.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 CA$14.20

$10.69 CA$14.74

-3.65%

Cappuccino

$2.96 CA$4.08

$3.79 CA$5.22

-21.90%

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

$1.55 CA$2.14

$2.00 CA$2.76

-22.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.17

$1.98 CA$2.72

-20.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 CA$5.12

$5.19 CA$7.16

-28.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 CA$5.93

$5.86 CA$8.08

-26.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 CA$1.33

$1.95 CA$2.69

-50.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$2.82 CA$3.89

-19.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.26

$5.61 CA$7.74

-44.92%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.92

$3.75 CA$5.17

-4.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 CA$15.09

$11.50 CA$15.86

-4.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.51 CA$15.87

$11.46 CA$15.81

0.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 CA$26.06

$18.95 CA$26.14

-0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.86

$4.83 CA$6.66

-12.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$1.37 CA$1.89

-1.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.48 CA$6.18

$4.25 CA$5.86

5.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.66

$4.15 CA$5.72

-0.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 CA$2.05

$2.70 CA$3.73

-44.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.71

$2.83 CA$3.90

-30.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CA$3.28

$2.64 CA$3.64

-9.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.52

$1.51 CA$2.08

21.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.17 CA$19.55

$14.60 CA$20.14

-2.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 CA$15.96

$15.76 CA$21.73

-26.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.65 CA$5.03

$2.60 CA$3.58

40.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.17

$3.08 CA$4.25

-1.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 CA$3.63

$2.93 CA$4.04

-10.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 CA$84.6

$89.3 CA$123

-31.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 CA$4.04

$3.32 CA$4.58

-11.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.86

$1.43 CA$1.97

-5.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.74 CA$29.98

$27.71 CA$38.21

-21.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$1.26 CA$1.74

-7.94%

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

$28.2K CA$38.9K

$28.9K CA$39.9K

-2.57%

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

$20.3K CA$28.0K

$21.3K CA$29.4K

-4.89%

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

$225 CA$310

$183 CA$252

23.04%

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

$41.14 CA$56.7

$38.31 CA$52.8

7.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 CA$77.8

$51.7 CA$71.3

9.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.82 CA$57.7

$54.9 CA$75.7

-23.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.16 CA$22.29

$18.66 CA$25.73

-13.40%

Cinema Ticket

$13.11 CA$18.08

$14.26 CA$19.66

-8.06%

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

$764 CA$1,054

$828 CA$1,142

-7.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,614 CA$13.3K

$15.9K CA$21.9K

-39.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.20 CA$63.7

$59.6 CA$82.1

-22.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.92 CA$64.7

$39.47 CA$54.4

18.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 CA$119

$94.3 CA$130

-8.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 CA$133

$113 CA$156

-14.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 CA$1,739

$1,265 CA$1,744

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 CA$1,614

$1,051 CA$1,450

11.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 CA$2,973

$1,934 CA$2,667

11.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 CA$2,424

$1,700 CA$2,344

3.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,282 CA$5,905

$3,680 CA$5,075

16.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,876 CA$5,345

$3,333 CA$4,597

16.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,518

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.4

-1.82%

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

Last update for Drumheller: September 1, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,261 in Drumheller and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Drumheller vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $397 per month, with Drumheller 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

Drumheller vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,629 in Drumheller and $3,530 in Calgary to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,261 in Drumheller versus $1,265 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 $44.00 in Drumheller. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,419 per month in Drumheller versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,419 in Drumheller, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Drumheller. 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 3% less than in Drumheller. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.