Cost of Living Comparison Between Guelph and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Guelph and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,679 in Guelph versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,848 in Guelph versus $3,499 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,018 in Guelph versus $4,655 in Calgary.

Living in Guelph is roughly 14% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Guelph 94% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.10 CA$30.65

$18.45 CA$25.59

19.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$98.5

$71.5 CA$99.2

-0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 CA$15.94

$10.68 CA$14.81

7.58%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.94

$3.93 CA$5.46

-9.41%

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

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.02 CA$2.80

-27.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$1.97 CA$2.73

-29.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 CA$7.08

$4.92 CA$6.82

3.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.18

$5.90 CA$8.19

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.03 CA$2.82

11.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$3.95

$2.86 CA$3.97

-0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.16

$5.72 CA$7.93

-34.97%

Eggs

$2.96 CA$4.11

$3.81 CA$5.29

-22.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 CA$13.25

$11.56 CA$16.04

-17.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 CA$22.05

$11.95 CA$16.57

33.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.68 CA$46.71

$18.97 CA$26.30

77.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.17

$4.91 CA$6.81

-24.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.85

$1.42 CA$1.97

-6.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 CA$6.65

$4.36 CA$6.04

10.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.73

$4.03 CA$5.59

2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.85

$2.72 CA$3.77

28.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$2.88 CA$3.99

-13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 CA$4.03

$2.57 CA$3.57

12.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.49 CA$2.07

-14.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 CA$15.36

$14.71 CA$20.40

-24.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 CA$15.63

$15.57 CA$21.59

-27.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 CA$4.72

$2.52 CA$3.50

34.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CA$4.35

$3.27 CA$4.53

-3.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 CA$3.10

$2.94 CA$4.07

-24.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.5 CA$95.0

$89.8 CA$125

-23.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$3.30 CA$4.58

-25.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 CA$2.63

$1.37 CA$1.90

38.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 CA$33.83

$27.07 CA$37.54

-9.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.22 CA$1.69

-9.02%

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

$28.5K CA$39.6K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

-0.17%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$20.9K CA$28.9K

0.18%

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

$127 CA$176

$182 CA$253

-30.24%

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

$44.27 CA$61.4

$39.50 CA$54.8

12.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 CA$78.9

$51.4 CA$71.2

10.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 CA$80.2

$54.8 CA$75.9

5.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 CA$19.73

$18.79 CA$26.06

-24.27%

Cinema Ticket

$10.70 CA$14.84

$14.52 CA$20.14

-26.31%

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

$834 CA$1,157

$819 CA$1,135

1.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K CA$23.6K

$16.3K CA$22.7K

4.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 CA$89.6

$61.8 CA$85.8

4.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.48 CA$52.0

$40.15 CA$55.7

-6.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$94.3 CA$131

-6.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 CA$173

$114 CA$158

9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 CA$2,116

$1,256 CA$1,741

21.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,914

$1,089 CA$1,510

26.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 CA$2,903

$1,994 CA$2,766

4.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,807

$1,706 CA$2,366

18.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,889 CA$6,780

$3,627 CA$5,031

34.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,961 CA$6,880

$3,403 CA$4,719

45.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,305 CA$4,583

$3,246 CA$4,502

1.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

4.48

11.38%

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

Last update for Guelph: September 8, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Guelph and $1,256 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guelph pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Guelph vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $442 vs $401, with Calgary cheaper for home cooking.

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

Guelph vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Guelph, 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: $1,526 in Guelph versus $1,256 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 $71.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,679 per month in Guelph versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,679 in Guelph, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Guelph. 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 14% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.