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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,620 per month in Guelph vs $2,194 in Edmonton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,682 per month in Guelph vs $3,321 in Edmonton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,743 per month in Guelph vs $4,448 in Edmonton, rent included.

Guelph costs about 19% more than Edmonton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Guelph and Edmonton sit above the global median – Guelph by 96%, Edmonton by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.31 CA$28.24

$18.25 CA$25.38

11.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 CA$104

$65.5 CA$91.0

13.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.60 CA$16.13

$11.45 CA$15.93

1.31%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.11

$3.87 CA$5.38

-5.17%

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

$1.84 CA$2.56

$2.08 CA$2.89

-11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.51

$1.76 CA$2.44

2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 CA$7.13

$5.93 CA$8.24

-13.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CA$8.42

$5.85 CA$8.13

3.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.86

$2.07 CA$2.88

-0.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.72

$2.91 CA$4.05

-8.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.69

$3.18 CA$4.42

5.97%

Eggs

$3.18 CA$4.42

$3.76 CA$5.23

-15.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 CA$12.31

$12.48 CA$17.36

-29.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 CA$11.93

$12.38 CA$17.22

-30.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.47 CA$36.81

$16.32 CA$22.70

62.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.57

$4.83 CA$6.72

-16.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 CA$1.20

$1.32 CA$1.83

-34.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.46

$3.85 CA$5.35

-16.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$3.75 CA$5.22

-39.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.08

$2.34 CA$3.26

25.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$2.11 CA$2.94

19.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$2.61 CA$3.62

-8.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.92 CA$2.66

-21.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 CA$15.55

$14.87 CA$20.67

-24.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 CA$15.71

$12.48 CA$17.36

-9.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$3.07 CA$4.27

-13.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$3.27 CA$4.55

-17.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.57 CA$3.57

-8.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$87.5

$72.2 CA$100

-12.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$3.21 CA$4.46

-27.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 CA$2.35

$1.64 CA$2.27

3.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.23 CA$46.21

$23.35 CA$32.47

42.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.10 CA$1.53

0.91%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$25.6K CA$35.6K

-3.60%

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

$21.5K CA$29.9K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-2.58%

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

$130 CA$181

$199 CA$277

-34.70%

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

$54.2 CA$75.4

$44.00 CA$61.2

23.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 CA$85.1

$64.0 CA$89.1

-4.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$47.62 CA$66.2

14.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 CA$26.05

$21.62 CA$30.07

-13.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 CA$15.45

$13.06 CA$18.16

-14.93%

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

$938 CA$1,305

$683 CA$950

37.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.3K

$11.9K CA$16.5K

-7.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 CA$88.4

$48.94 CA$68.1

29.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 CA$52.8

$42.19 CA$58.7

-9.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 CA$120

$83.7 CA$116

3.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$179

$104 CA$145

23.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 CA$2,073

$1,212 CA$1,685

23.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 CA$2,075

$935 CA$1,300

59.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 CA$2,962

$1,878 CA$2,611

13.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 CA$2,802

$1,611 CA$2,241

25.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,927 CA$6,852

$2,397 CA$3,334

105.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,903 CA$6,819

$2,275 CA$3,164

115.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,236 CA$4,500

$3,486 CA$4,848

-7.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.08

7.73%

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

Last update for Guelph: June 1, 2026

Last update for Edmonton: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,491 in Guelph versus $1,212 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 8% 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 $75.0 in Guelph versus $65.0 in Edmonton. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Guelph vs $384 in Edmonton – 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

Guelph vs Edmonton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,620 in Guelph, $2,194 in Edmonton – roughly 19% apart. Guelph costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,931 per month in Guelph and $3,291 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 $2,620 in Guelph and $2,194 in Edmonton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% 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 $2,194, than in Guelph at $2,620. 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.