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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Guelph costs about 22% more than Edmonton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.42 CA$28.74

$18.61 CA$26.19

9.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$104

$65.9 CA$92.7

11.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.99 CA$16.87

$11.58 CA$16.29

3.54%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.22

$3.69 CA$5.19

0.54%

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

$1.84 CA$2.60

$2.18 CA$3.07

-15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.45

$1.78 CA$2.50

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 CA$7.28

$5.76 CA$8.10

-10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 CA$8.35

$5.83 CA$8.20

1.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$2.03 CA$2.86

3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$2.90 CA$4.08

-6.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.62

$3.10 CA$4.36

6.13%

Eggs

$3.11 CA$4.38

$3.72 CA$5.23

-16.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 CA$12.80

$12.23 CA$17.20

-25.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 CA$12.38

$12.63 CA$17.78

-30.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$16.01 CA$22.52

59.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.88

$4.65 CA$6.55

-10.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 CA$1.22

$1.33 CA$1.87

-35.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.55

$3.94 CA$5.55

-18.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.11

$3.62 CA$5.10

-38.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 CA$4.00

$2.46 CA$3.46

15.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.73

$2.21 CA$3.11

19.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$2.72 CA$3.82

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.95 CA$2.74

-24.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 CA$15.69

$14.97 CA$21.06

-25.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 CA$15.23

$12.15 CA$17.09

-10.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.94 CA$4.14

-6.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$3.29 CA$4.63

-17.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.39

$2.51 CA$3.53

-3.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.4 CA$87.8

$74.5 CA$105

-16.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 CA$3.37

$3.26 CA$4.59

-26.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.65 CA$2.32

3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.54 CA$45.79

$23.15 CA$32.57

40.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.62

$1.06 CA$1.49

8.49%

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

$25.1K CA$35.4K

$25.9K CA$36.4K

-2.98%

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

$21.1K CA$29.8K

$21.9K CA$30.9K

-3.62%

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

$135 CA$190

$199 CA$279

-32.14%

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

$54.2 CA$76.3

$44.38 CA$62.5

22.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 CA$87.8

$66.2 CA$93.1

-5.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 CA$77.4

$48.71 CA$68.5

12.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.64 CA$26.23

$21.30 CA$29.97

-12.49%

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 CA$15.63

$13.02 CA$18.33

-14.67%

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

$953 CA$1,341

$701 CA$986

36.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K CA$15.3K

$11.8K CA$16.6K

-7.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 CA$87.7

$50.3 CA$70.8

23.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.02 CA$54.9

$41.94 CA$59.0

-6.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 CA$122

$83.5 CA$117

3.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 CA$175

$104 CA$146

19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 CA$2,105

$1,251 CA$1,761

19.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 CA$2,104

$931 CA$1,310

60.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 CA$2,933

$1,933 CA$2,721

7.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 CA$2,744

$1,587 CA$2,233

22.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,752 CA$6,686

$2,303 CA$3,240

106.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,907 CA$6,904

$2,110 CA$2,969

132.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,178 CA$4,471

$3,313 CA$4,661

-4.07%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Edmonton: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,013 per month in Guelph and $3,278 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 $2,675 in Guelph and $2,186 in Edmonton. 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.