Cost of Living Comparison Between Red Deer and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Red Deer and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,295 in Red Deer versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,216 in Red Deer versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,137 in Red Deer versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Red Deer costs roughly 2% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Red Deer 67% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.83 CA$26.06

$17.94 CA$24.82

4.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 CA$84.1

$70.5 CA$97.6

-13.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 CA$15.72

$10.69 CA$14.79

6.27%

Cappuccino

$5.30 CA$7.33

$3.79 CA$5.24

39.84%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.00 CA$2.77

1.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$1.98 CA$2.73

10.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.31 CA$7.35

$5.19 CA$7.18

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 CA$9.43

$5.86 CA$8.11

16.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 CA$2.58

$1.95 CA$2.70

-4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$2.82 CA$3.91

-4.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.77

$5.61 CA$7.77

-38.50%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.75

$3.75 CA$5.19

-8.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CA$14.22

$11.50 CA$15.91

-10.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.72 CA$23.13

$11.46 CA$15.86

45.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.48 CA$24.18

$18.95 CA$26.23

-7.76%

Apples (1kg)

$7.21 CA$9.97

$4.83 CA$6.69

49.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 CA$2.41

$1.37 CA$1.89

27.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.31

$4.25 CA$5.88

-43.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.66 CA$7.83

$4.15 CA$5.74

36.39%

Potato (1kg)

$5.48 CA$7.59

$2.70 CA$3.74

102.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.83 CA$3.91

-22.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$2.64 CA$3.65

21.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$1.51 CA$2.09

90.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.14 CA$22.34

$14.60 CA$20.21

10.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 CA$20.35

$15.76 CA$21.80

-6.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.60 CA$9.13

$3.08 CA$4.26

114.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$2.93 CA$4.05

-27.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 CA$75.0

$89.3 CA$124

-39.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$3.32 CA$4.59

-16.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$1.43 CA$1.98

-5.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.17 CA$32.06

$27.71 CA$38.34

-16.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$1.26 CA$1.74

-15.87%

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

$26.9K CA$37.2K

$28.9K CA$40.0K

-7.01%

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

$19.0K CA$26.3K

$21.3K CA$29.5K

-11.03%

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

$183 CA$253

-0.23%

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

$64.2 CA$88.8

$38.31 CA$53.0

67.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 CA$90.4

$51.7 CA$71.5

26.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.86 CA$49.62

$54.9 CA$75.9

-34.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.87 CA$15.04

$18.66 CA$25.82

-41.75%

Cinema Ticket

$10.74 CA$14.86

$14.26 CA$19.73

-24.68%

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

$828 CA$1,146

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 CA$70.5

$59.6 CA$82.4

-14.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 CA$48.37

$39.47 CA$54.6

-11.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 CA$111

$94.3 CA$131

-14.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$113 CA$156

-2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 CA$1,493

$1,265 CA$1,750

-14.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 CA$1,302

$1,051 CA$1,454

-10.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CA$2,210

$1,934 CA$2,676

-17.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 CA$1,896

$1,700 CA$2,352

-19.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,750 CA$3,805

$3,680 CA$5,092

-25.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,811 CA$3,889

$3,333 CA$4,613

-15.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,195

$3,276 CA$4,533

-7.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.8

4.4

31.82%

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

Last update for Red Deer: September 1, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,079 in Red Deer and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 8% 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: $61.0 in Red Deer vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $435 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

Red Deer vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 8% 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: $1,079 in Red Deer 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 Red Deer – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Red Deer runs roughly 65% less than in Calgary. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,295 in Red Deer versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Red Deer but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Red Deer 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 Red Deer 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.