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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Guelph costs about 21% more than Edmonton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.54 CA$29.71

$18.07 CA$24.91

19.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 CA$100

$78.0 CA$108

-6.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 CA$15.71

$10.23 CA$14.11

11.34%

Cappuccino

$3.43 CA$4.73

$3.89 CA$5.36

-11.83%

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

$1.46 CA$2.01

$2.33 CA$3.21

-37.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 CA$1.88

$1.97 CA$2.72

-30.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 CA$6.76

$5.87 CA$8.09

-16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 CA$8.51

$6.57 CA$9.05

-6.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.09

$1.66 CA$2.30

34.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.06

$2.23 CA$3.07

31.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.16

$2.96 CA$4.08

26.35%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.05

$3.60 CA$4.96

-18.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 CA$13.48

$11.13 CA$15.35

-12.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.89 CA$21.91

$11.39 CA$15.70

39.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.48 CA$47.55

$18.61 CA$25.66

85.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.02

$4.44 CA$6.12

-18.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.37 CA$1.89

-5.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 CA$6.73

$4.27 CA$5.89

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.71

$4.07 CA$5.61

1.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.62

$2.24 CA$3.09

49.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CA$3.31

$1.97 CA$2.72

21.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 CA$3.98

$2.45 CA$3.38

17.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$1.84 CA$2.54

-27.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 CA$15.58

$14.71 CA$20.28

-23.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 CA$15.54

$11.61 CA$16.01

-2.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.51 CA$4.85

$3.51 CA$4.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.31

$2.91 CA$4.02

7.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.20

$2.76 CA$3.80

-15.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 CA$95.1

$73.6 CA$101

-6.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 CA$3.31

$2.92 CA$4.03

-17.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 CA$2.55

$1.40 CA$1.94

32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.28 CA$33.49

$21.29 CA$29.36

14.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$1.18 CA$1.63

-3.39%

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

$28.1K CA$38.8K

$29.0K CA$39.9K

-2.87%

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

$20.6K CA$28.4K

$20.3K CA$28.0K

1.32%

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

$126 CA$174

$229 CA$316

-44.93%

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

$44.45 CA$61.3

$40.12 CA$55.3

10.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 CA$78.1

$55.9 CA$77.1

1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 CA$79.4

$47.17 CA$65.0

22.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 CA$20.04

$18.45 CA$25.44

-21.25%

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 CA$15.06

$12.93 CA$17.83

-15.55%

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

$816 CA$1,125

$782 CA$1,078

4.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K CA$23.9K

$9,665 CA$13.3K

79.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 CA$88.8

$45.40 CA$62.6

41.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.26 CA$51.4

$46.92 CA$64.7

-20.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 CA$120

$84.2 CA$116

3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 CA$171

$97.2 CA$134

27.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CA$2,054

$1,126 CA$1,552

32.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 CA$1,934

$919 CA$1,267

52.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,118 CA$2,921

$1,733 CA$2,389

22.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 CA$2,743

$1,437 CA$1,982

38.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,906 CA$6,765

$2,294 CA$3,163

113.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,931 CA$6,799

$2,128 CA$2,935

131.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,269 CA$4,508

$3,730 CA$5,144

-12.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

4.32

15.51%

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

Last update for Guelph: September 1, 2026

Last update for Edmonton: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,489 in Guelph versus $1,126 in Edmonton. 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 $73.0 in Guelph versus $78.0 in Edmonton. Groceries tell a different story – $446 in Guelph vs $368 in Edmonton – 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

Guelph vs Edmonton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,938 per month in Guelph and $3,259 in Edmonton. 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 $2,625 in Guelph and $2,173 in Edmonton. 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.