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: $2,450 in Halifax versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,580 in Halifax versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,710 in Halifax versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Halifax costs roughly 3% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Halifax 83% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.36

$18.59 CA$25.74

-1.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.4 CA$91.9

$70.0 CA$97.0

-5.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 CA$14.50

$10.96 CA$15.17

-4.47%

Cappuccino

$3.75 CA$5.19

$3.73 CA$5.17

0.54%

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

$2.20 CA$3.04

$1.99 CA$2.75

10.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$1.72 CA$2.39

-5.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$7.98

$5.01 CA$6.94

14.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 CA$9.20

$6.50 CA$9.01

2.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.11

$2.22 CA$3.08

0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.67 CA$3.69

10.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.68

$3.26 CA$4.52

48.16%

Eggs

$4.00 CA$5.54

$3.35 CA$4.64

19.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 CA$13.47

$14.50 CA$20.07

-32.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.29 CA$18.40

$12.95 CA$17.93

2.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.02

$16.15 CA$22.36

-14.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 CA$6.84

$4.32 CA$5.98

14.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CA$2.32

$1.35 CA$1.88

24.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.13

$3.83 CA$5.30

15.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$4.18 CA$5.79

1.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.15

$2.65 CA$3.67

13.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.57

$2.74 CA$3.79

-5.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.59

$2.76 CA$3.82

-6.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$1.95 CA$2.70

12.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.25 CA$21.12

$14.98 CA$20.74

1.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.00 CA$22.16

$14.67 CA$20.31

9.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 CA$5.37

$2.84 CA$3.94

36.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 CA$6.19

$4.02 CA$5.56

11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 CA$2.97

$2.80 CA$3.88

-23.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 CA$93.2

$86.2 CA$119

-21.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 CA$5.14

$3.60 CA$4.99

3.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.32 CA$1.82

-10.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.21 CA$30.75

$29.01 CA$40.17

-23.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.12 CA$1.55

7.14%

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

$25.5K CA$35.3K

$24.9K CA$34.4K

2.60%

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

$22.2K CA$30.8K

$22.0K CA$30.4K

1.19%

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

$154 CA$213

$217 CA$301

-29.13%

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

$50.3 CA$69.6

$41.55 CA$57.5

20.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 CA$97.6

$58.1 CA$80.4

21.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 CA$72.4

$54.7 CA$75.8

-4.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.78 CA$16.31

$52.8 CA$73.1

-77.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.48

$12.77 CA$17.68

-12.45%

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

$921 CA$1,275

$874 CA$1,210

5.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K CA$20.6K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

-6.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 CA$90.0

$58.8 CA$81.5

10.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 CA$47.88

$46.47 CA$64.4

-25.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 CA$139

$87.2 CA$121

15.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$157

$109 CA$151

4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 CA$2,113

$1,414 CA$1,957

7.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 CA$1,716

$1,172 CA$1,623

5.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 CA$3,280

$2,319 CA$3,211

2.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 CA$2,774

$1,886 CA$2,612

6.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,284 CA$4,547

$3,892 CA$5,389

-15.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,748 CA$3,805

$3,503 CA$4,851

-21.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,703 CA$3,743

$3,149 CA$4,360

-14.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

5.71

7.18%

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

Last update for Halifax: June 1, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Halifax and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 17% 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: $66.0 in Halifax vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $397, 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

Halifax vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Halifax is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 17% less. 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: $1,526 in Halifax versus $1,414 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Halifax – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,450 per month in Halifax versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Halifax is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Halifax is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Calgary, 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 Halifax gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.