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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,186 per month in Edmonton vs $2,675 in Guelph, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,285 per month in Edmonton vs $3,676 in Guelph, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,385 per month in Edmonton vs $4,677 in Guelph, rent included.

Edmonton is about 18% cheaper than Guelph, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Edmonton and Guelph sit above the global median – Edmonton by 64%, Guelph by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.61 CA$26.19

$20.42 CA$28.74

-8.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 CA$92.7

$73.6 CA$104

-10.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 CA$16.29

$11.99 CA$16.87

-3.42%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.19

$3.71 CA$5.22

-0.54%

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

$2.18 CA$3.07

$1.84 CA$2.60

18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$1.74 CA$2.45

2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.10

$5.17 CA$7.28

11.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 CA$8.20

$5.93 CA$8.35

-1.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.86

$2.10 CA$2.95

-3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 CA$4.08

$2.71 CA$3.81

7.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 CA$4.36

$3.29 CA$4.62

-5.78%

Eggs

$3.72 CA$5.23

$3.11 CA$4.38

19.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 CA$17.20

$9.10 CA$12.80

34.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.63 CA$17.78

$8.80 CA$12.38

43.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.01 CA$22.52

$25.55 CA$35.95

-37.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 CA$6.55

$4.18 CA$5.88

11.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$0.86 CA$1.22

54.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.55

$3.23 CA$4.55

21.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.10

$2.21 CA$3.11

63.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.46

$2.84 CA$4.00

-13.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.11

$2.65 CA$3.73

-16.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.82

$2.38 CA$3.35

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.48 CA$2.08

31.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$11.15 CA$15.69

34.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 CA$17.09

$10.82 CA$15.23

12.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.14

$2.75 CA$3.87

6.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 CA$4.63

$2.73 CA$3.84

20.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$2.41 CA$3.39

4.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 CA$105

$62.4 CA$87.8

19.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.59

$2.39 CA$3.37

36.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$1.70 CA$2.39

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.15 CA$32.57

$32.54 CA$45.79

-28.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.49

$1.15 CA$1.62

-7.83%

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

$25.9K CA$36.4K

$25.1K CA$35.4K

3.07%

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

$21.9K CA$30.9K

$21.1K CA$29.8K

3.76%

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

$199 CA$279

$135 CA$190

47.36%

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

$44.38 CA$62.5

$54.2 CA$76.3

-18.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 CA$93.1

$62.4 CA$87.8

6.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.71 CA$68.5

$55.0 CA$77.4

-11.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.30 CA$29.97

$18.64 CA$26.23

14.27%

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 CA$18.33

$11.11 CA$15.63

17.19%

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

$701 CA$986

$953 CA$1,341

-26.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.6K

$10.9K CA$15.3K

8.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 CA$70.8

$62.3 CA$87.7

-19.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.94 CA$59.0

$39.02 CA$54.9

7.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 CA$117

$86.5 CA$122

-3.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$146

$125 CA$175

-16.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 CA$1,761

$1,496 CA$2,105

-16.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 CA$1,310

$1,495 CA$2,104

-37.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 CA$2,721

$2,084 CA$2,933

-7.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 CA$2,233

$1,950 CA$2,744

-18.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,303 CA$3,240

$4,752 CA$6,686

-51.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 CA$2,969

$4,907 CA$6,904

-57.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,313 CA$4,661

$3,178 CA$4,471

4.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

6.55

-7.18%

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

Last update for Edmonton: July 12, 2026

Last update for Guelph: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,251 in Edmonton versus $1,496 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 4% 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 $66.0 in Edmonton versus $74.0 in Guelph. Groceries tell a different story – $381 in Edmonton vs $354 in Guelph – so Guelph 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: $2,186 in Edmonton, $2,675 in Guelph – roughly 22% apart. Guelph costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,278 per month in Edmonton and $4,013 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 $2,186 in Edmonton and $2,675 in Guelph. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% 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 $2,186, than in Guelph at $2,675. 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.