Cost of Living Comparison Between Halifax and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Halifax and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,537 in Halifax versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,643 in Halifax versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,749 in Halifax versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Halifax is roughly 8% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Halifax 85% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.97 CA$24.97

$17.94 CA$24.93

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$70.5 CA$98.0

4.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 CA$14.88

$10.69 CA$14.85

0.19%

Cappuccino

$4.53 CA$6.29

$3.79 CA$5.26

19.53%

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

$2.45 CA$3.40

$2.00 CA$2.78

22.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.56

$1.98 CA$2.74

-7.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 CA$8.08

$5.19 CA$7.21

11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CA$8.81

$5.86 CA$8.14

8.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.12

$1.95 CA$2.72

14.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$2.82 CA$3.92

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.57

$5.61 CA$7.80

-28.52%

Eggs

$3.80 CA$5.28

$3.75 CA$5.21

1.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 CA$12.63

$11.50 CA$15.98

-20.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.13 CA$18.24

$11.46 CA$15.93

14.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 CA$20.68

$18.95 CA$26.34

-21.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$4.83 CA$6.72

4.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.63

$1.37 CA$1.90

37.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 CA$6.27

$4.25 CA$5.90

6.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.09 CA$7.08

$4.15 CA$5.77

22.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$2.70 CA$3.76

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.21

$2.83 CA$3.93

7.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.62

$2.64 CA$3.66

-1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CA$2.80

$1.51 CA$2.10

33.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.14 CA$23.82

$14.60 CA$20.29

17.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.91 CA$23.50

$15.76 CA$21.90

7.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.52 CA$6.29

$2.60 CA$3.61

73.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 CA$7.34

$3.08 CA$4.28

71.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.93 CA$4.07

-25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 CA$90.2

$89.3 CA$124

-27.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.65

$3.32 CA$4.61

0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.43 CA$1.99

-13.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.97 CA$30.53

$27.71 CA$38.50

-20.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.81

$1.26 CA$1.75

3.97%

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

$28.6K CA$39.8K

$28.9K CA$40.2K

-1.06%

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

$22.5K CA$31.3K

$21.3K CA$29.7K

5.42%

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

$146 CA$202

$183 CA$254

-20.38%

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

$44.67 CA$62.1

$38.31 CA$53.2

16.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 CA$96.2

$51.7 CA$71.8

33.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.62 CA$57.8

$54.9 CA$76.2

-24.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 CA$25.54

$18.66 CA$25.93

-1.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 CA$15.91

$14.26 CA$19.81

-19.71%

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

$977 CA$1,358

$828 CA$1,151

17.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K CA$21.2K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

-4.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$84.1

$59.6 CA$82.8

1.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.10 CA$48.77

$39.47 CA$54.9

-11.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$94.3 CA$131

9.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$113 CA$157

1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 CA$2,063

$1,265 CA$1,758

17.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 CA$1,764

$1,051 CA$1,461

20.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,486 CA$3,454

$1,934 CA$2,688

28.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 CA$2,746

$1,700 CA$2,362

16.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,233 CA$4,493

$3,680 CA$5,114

-12.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,807 CA$3,901

$3,333 CA$4,632

-15.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,807 CA$3,901

$3,276 CA$4,553

-14.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

4.4

13.18%

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

Last update for Halifax: August 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,484 in Halifax and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Halifax vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $397 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

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

Halifax vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Calgary. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,484 in Halifax versus $1,265 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 $74.0 in Halifax. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,537 per month in Halifax versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,537 in Halifax, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Halifax. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Halifax, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Halifax and Calgary are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Halifax. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.