Cost of Living Comparison Between Edmonton and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Edmonton and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,194 in Edmonton versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,321 in Edmonton versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,448 in Edmonton versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Edmonton costs roughly 13% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Edmonton 64% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.38

$18.59 CA$25.86

-1.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.5 CA$91.0

$70.0 CA$97.4

-6.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 CA$15.93

$10.96 CA$15.24

4.47%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.38

$3.73 CA$5.19

3.75%

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

$2.08 CA$2.89

$1.99 CA$2.77

4.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.44

$1.72 CA$2.40

2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.24

$5.01 CA$6.97

18.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.13

$6.50 CA$9.05

-10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CA$2.88

$2.22 CA$3.09

-6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 CA$4.05

$2.67 CA$3.71

8.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.42

$3.26 CA$4.54

-2.45%

Eggs

$3.76 CA$5.23

$3.35 CA$4.66

12.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 CA$17.36

$14.50 CA$20.16

-13.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.38 CA$17.22

$12.95 CA$18.01

-4.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.32 CA$22.70

$16.15 CA$22.46

1.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.72

$4.32 CA$6.01

11.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.35 CA$1.88

-2.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.35

$3.83 CA$5.32

0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.22

$4.18 CA$5.81

-10.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 CA$3.26

$2.65 CA$3.68

-11.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 CA$2.94

$2.74 CA$3.81

-22.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.62

$2.76 CA$3.84

-5.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.66

$1.95 CA$2.71

-1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.87 CA$20.67

$14.98 CA$20.83

-0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 CA$17.36

$14.67 CA$20.40

-14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$2.84 CA$3.95

8.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.55

$4.02 CA$5.59

-18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.80 CA$3.90

-8.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$100

$86.2 CA$120

-16.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CA$4.46

$3.60 CA$5.01

-10.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$1.32 CA$1.83

24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.35 CA$32.47

$29.01 CA$40.35

-19.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.12 CA$1.56

-1.79%

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

$25.6K CA$35.6K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

3.01%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

0.26%

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

$199 CA$277

$217 CA$302

-8.18%

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

$44.00 CA$61.2

$41.55 CA$57.8

5.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 CA$89.1

$58.1 CA$80.8

10.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.62 CA$66.2

$54.7 CA$76.1

-12.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.62 CA$30.07

$52.8 CA$73.5

-59.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 CA$18.16

$12.77 CA$17.75

2.27%

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

$683 CA$950

$874 CA$1,215

-21.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.5K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

-25.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.94 CA$68.1

$58.8 CA$81.8

-16.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.19 CA$58.7

$46.47 CA$64.6

-9.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 CA$116

$87.2 CA$121

-3.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$145

$109 CA$151

-4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 CA$1,685

$1,414 CA$1,966

-14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 CA$1,300

$1,172 CA$1,630

-20.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,878 CA$2,611

$2,319 CA$3,225

-19.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CA$2,241

$1,886 CA$2,623

-14.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,397 CA$3,334

$3,892 CA$5,413

-38.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,275 CA$3,164

$3,503 CA$4,872

-35.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,486 CA$4,848

$3,149 CA$4,380

10.69%

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 Edmonton: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,212 in Edmonton and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edmonton pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Edmonton vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $397 per month, with Edmonton 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

Edmonton vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Edmonton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Edmonton pays 11% 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: $1,212 in Edmonton 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 Edmonton – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,194 per month in Edmonton versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,194 in Edmonton versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Edmonton but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Edmonton 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 Edmonton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.