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: $2,410 in Drumheller versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,397 in Drumheller versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Drumheller versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Drumheller costs roughly 2% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Drumheller 80% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 CA$26.37

$18.33 CA$25.79

2.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.32 CA$61.0

$69.9 CA$98.3

-38.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.25

$10.95 CA$15.41

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$2.99 CA$4.21

$3.74 CA$5.26

-20.05%

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

$1.53 CA$2.16

$2.04 CA$2.87

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.67 CA$2.35

-8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 CA$5.16

$5.20 CA$7.32

-29.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 CA$6.33

$6.71 CA$9.45

-32.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 CA$1.32

$2.25 CA$3.16

-58.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.75 CA$3.87

-10.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.47

$3.23 CA$4.54

-1.55%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$5.03

$3.45 CA$4.85

3.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 CA$16.95

$14.40 CA$20.26

-16.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.38 CA$17.42

$12.89 CA$18.13

-3.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.03 CA$22.56

$15.86 CA$22.32

1.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 CA$6.81

$4.30 CA$6.05

12.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.34 CA$1.89

2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.61

$3.85 CA$5.42

3.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.10

$4.25 CA$5.99

-14.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 CA$2.23

$2.55 CA$3.58

-38.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.08

$2.62 CA$3.69

-16.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.82

$2.80 CA$3.94

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.95 CA$21.03

$14.97 CA$21.06

-0.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 CA$17.17

$13.90 CA$19.57

-12.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.35

$2.92 CA$4.11

5.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CA$4.48

$3.91 CA$5.50

-18.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.74 CA$3.85

-14.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.8 CA$86.9

$87.8 CA$124

-29.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 CA$4.38

$3.60 CA$5.06

-13.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.31

$1.30 CA$1.83

26.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.29 CA$32.77

$28.70 CA$40.39

-18.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.54

$1.12 CA$1.57

-2.68%

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

$25.5K CA$35.9K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

0.15%

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

$22.7K CA$31.9K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

4.32%

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

$201 CA$283

$213 CA$300

-5.44%

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

$44.71 CA$62.9

$40.96 CA$57.6

9.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CA$91.7

$57.9 CA$81.5

12.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.47 CA$59.8

$54.2 CA$76.2

-21.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 CA$18.41

$12.63 CA$17.77

3.56%

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

$699 CA$983

$874 CA$1,230

-20.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-26.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.47 CA$69.6

$58.6 CA$82.5

-15.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.86 CA$58.9

$47.01 CA$66.2

-10.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 CA$118

$85.1 CA$120

-1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$143

$108 CA$151

-5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 CA$1,879

$1,380 CA$1,942

-3.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 CA$1,660

$1,159 CA$1,631

1.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 CA$2,792

$2,324 CA$3,270

-14.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,852 CA$2,606

$1,905 CA$2,680

-2.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,509 CA$6,345

$3,786 CA$5,327

19.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,655 CA$5,143

$3,511 CA$4,940

4.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.71

6.48%

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

Last update for Drumheller: July 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,336 in Drumheller and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Drumheller vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $396 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

Drumheller is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,615 in Drumheller and $3,693 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: $1,336 in Drumheller 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 Drumheller – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,410 per month in Drumheller versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,410 in Drumheller versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Drumheller but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Drumheller 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 Drumheller 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.