Cost of Living Comparison Between Edmonton and Guelph Cost of Living Comparison Between Edmonton and Guelph

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,173 per month in Edmonton vs $2,625 in Guelph, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,239 per month in Edmonton vs $3,832 in Guelph, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,304 per month in Edmonton vs $5,038 in Guelph, rent included.

Edmonton is about 17% cheaper than Guelph, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Edmonton and Guelph sit above the global median – Edmonton by 58%, Guelph by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.07 CA$24.91

$21.54 CA$29.71

-16.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.0 CA$108

$72.6 CA$100

7.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.23 CA$14.11

$11.39 CA$15.71

-10.18%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.36

$3.43 CA$4.73

13.41%

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

$2.33 CA$3.21

$1.46 CA$2.01

59.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.72

$1.36 CA$1.88

44.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.09

$4.90 CA$6.76

19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.57 CA$9.05

$6.17 CA$8.51

6.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 CA$2.30

$2.24 CA$3.09

-25.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 CA$3.07

$2.94 CA$4.06

-24.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.08

$3.74 CA$5.16

-20.86%

Eggs

$3.60 CA$4.96

$2.94 CA$4.05

22.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 CA$15.35

$9.77 CA$13.48

13.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 CA$15.70

$15.89 CA$21.91

-28.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 CA$25.66

$34.48 CA$47.55

-46.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.12

$3.64 CA$5.02

21.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$1.29 CA$1.78

6.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.89

$4.88 CA$6.73

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.61

$4.14 CA$5.71

-1.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.09

$3.35 CA$4.62

-33.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 CA$2.72

$2.40 CA$3.31

-17.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 CA$3.38

$2.89 CA$3.98

-15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.54

$1.33 CA$1.84

38.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.28

$11.30 CA$15.58

30.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 CA$16.01

$11.27 CA$15.54

3.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.51 CA$4.84

$3.51 CA$4.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.02

$3.12 CA$4.31

-6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 CA$3.80

$2.32 CA$3.20

18.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 CA$101

$69.0 CA$95.1

6.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 CA$4.03

$2.40 CA$3.31

21.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.94

$1.85 CA$2.55

-24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.29 CA$29.36

$24.28 CA$33.49

-12.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.14 CA$1.58

3.51%

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

$29.0K CA$39.9K

$28.1K CA$38.8K

2.96%

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

$20.3K CA$28.0K

$20.6K CA$28.4K

-1.30%

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

$229 CA$316

$126 CA$174

81.60%

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

$40.12 CA$55.3

$44.45 CA$61.3

-9.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 CA$77.1

$56.6 CA$78.1

-1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.17 CA$65.0

$57.6 CA$79.4

-18.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 CA$25.44

$14.53 CA$20.04

26.98%

Cinema Ticket

$12.93 CA$17.83

$10.92 CA$15.06

18.41%

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

$782 CA$1,078

$816 CA$1,125

-4.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,665 CA$13.3K

$17.3K CA$23.9K

-44.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.40 CA$62.6

$64.4 CA$88.8

-29.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.92 CA$64.7

$37.26 CA$51.4

25.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 CA$116

$87.3 CA$120

-3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 CA$134

$124 CA$171

-21.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 CA$1,552

$1,489 CA$2,054

-24.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$919 CA$1,267

$1,402 CA$1,934

-34.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CA$2,389

$2,118 CA$2,921

-18.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 CA$1,982

$1,989 CA$2,743

-27.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,294 CA$3,163

$4,906 CA$6,765

-53.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,128 CA$2,935

$4,931 CA$6,799

-56.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,730 CA$5,144

$3,269 CA$4,508

14.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.99

-13.43%

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

Last update for Edmonton: August 31, 2026

Last update for Guelph: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,126 in Edmonton versus $1,489 in Guelph. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 14% higher in Edmonton, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Edmonton versus $73.0 in Guelph. Groceries tell a different story – $368 in Edmonton vs $446 in Guelph – so Edmonton wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Guelph: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,173 in Edmonton, $2,625 in Guelph – roughly 21% apart. Guelph costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,259 per month in Edmonton and $3,938 in Guelph. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Edmonton, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,173 in Edmonton and $2,625 in Guelph. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Edmonton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Edmonton, where all-in costs run around $2,173, than in Guelph at $2,625. In Edmonton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guelph it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Edmonton – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Edmonton. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guelph makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.