Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,891 in Medicine Hat versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,809 in Medicine Hat versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,726 in Medicine Hat versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Medicine Hat costs roughly 23% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medicine Hat 42% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.31 CA$21.55

$18.33 CA$25.79

-16.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 CA$97.4

$69.9 CA$98.3

-0.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 CA$11.65

$10.95 CA$15.41

-24.38%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.47

$3.74 CA$5.26

4.01%

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

$1.97 CA$2.77

$2.04 CA$2.87

-3.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.44

$1.67 CA$2.35

3.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 CA$5.44

$6.71 CA$9.45

-42.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CA$2.11

$2.25 CA$3.16

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 CA$2.66

$2.75 CA$3.87

-31.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$3.23 CA$4.54

3.41%

Eggs

$3.29 CA$4.63

$3.45 CA$4.85

-4.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 CA$11.54

$14.40 CA$20.26

-43.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 CA$15.68

$12.89 CA$18.13

-13.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.52 CA$19.02

$15.86 CA$22.32

-14.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.26

$4.30 CA$6.05

-13.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.34 CA$1.89

-2.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$3.85 CA$5.42

-35.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.64

$4.25 CA$5.99

-22.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$2.55 CA$3.58

-43.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.19

$2.62 CA$3.69

-40.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$2.80 CA$3.94

-2.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.27

$1.95 CA$2.74

-17.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.82 CA$16.63

$14.97 CA$21.06

-21.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 CA$18.10

$13.90 CA$19.57

-7.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$2.92 CA$4.11

-11.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.14

$3.91 CA$5.50

-6.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.28

$2.74 CA$3.85

-14.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 CA$72.5

$87.8 CA$124

-41.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.82

$3.60 CA$5.06

-5.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.92

$1.30 CA$1.83

5.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.83 CA$40.57

$28.70 CA$40.39

0.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 CA$1.42

$1.12 CA$1.57

-9.82%

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

$24.8K CA$34.9K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-2.66%

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

$21.6K CA$30.5K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-0.46%

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

$215 CA$302

$213 CA$300

0.81%

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

$40.79 CA$57.4

$40.96 CA$57.6

-0.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$83.0

$57.9 CA$81.5

1.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 CA$80.4

$54.2 CA$76.2

5.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.79 CA$51.8

$53.8 CA$75.6

-31.55%

Cinema Ticket

$12.51 CA$17.60

$12.63 CA$17.77

-0.95%

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

$883 CA$1,243

$874 CA$1,230

1.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.5K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

0.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 CA$73.2

$58.6 CA$82.5

-11.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.27 CA$38.37

$47.01 CA$66.2

-41.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 CA$99.1

$85.1 CA$120

-17.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 CA$97.6

$108 CA$151

-35.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 CA$1,167

$1,380 CA$1,942

-39.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 CA$1,045

$1,159 CA$1,631

-35.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 CA$1,941

$2,324 CA$3,270

-40.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 CA$1,695

$1,905 CA$2,680

-36.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,315 CA$1,851

$3,786 CA$5,327

-65.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,914 CA$2,693

$3,511 CA$4,940

-45.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,948 CA$4,148

$2,940 CA$4,136

0.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

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

Last update for Medicine Hat: July 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Medicine Hat and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medicine Hat pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Medicine Hat vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $396 per month, with Medicine Hat 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

Medicine Hat vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medicine Hat is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Medicine Hat, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $830 in Medicine Hat versus $1,380 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medicine Hat – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,891 per month in Medicine Hat versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,891 in Medicine Hat versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Medicine Hat but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Medicine Hat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medicine Hat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.