Cost of Living Comparison Between Richmond and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Richmond and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,487 in Richmond versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,585 in Richmond versus $3,470 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,683 in Richmond versus $4,597 in Calgary.

Living in Richmond is roughly 6% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Richmond 82% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.87 CA$22.20

$17.68 CA$24.74

-10.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$99.4

$71.2 CA$99.6

-0.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 CA$12.96

$10.85 CA$15.18

-14.65%

Cappuccino

$4.24 CA$5.93

$3.85 CA$5.39

10.13%

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

$2.05 CA$2.87

$1.95 CA$2.73

5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.17

$1.79 CA$2.51

-13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 CA$7.63

$4.97 CA$6.95

9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 CA$8.28

$5.90 CA$8.25

0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.13

$1.84 CA$2.58

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 CA$3.10

$2.73 CA$3.82

-19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 CA$3.16

$5.44 CA$7.60

-58.46%

Eggs

$3.23 CA$4.53

$3.63 CA$5.07

-11.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 CA$12.64

$11.55 CA$16.15

-21.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.89 CA$15.24

$11.57 CA$16.19

-5.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.09 CA$14.11

$18.94 CA$26.50

-46.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.70

$4.95 CA$6.92

-46.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.79

$1.42 CA$1.98

-9.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$4.22 CA$5.90

-37.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.02

$4.09 CA$5.72

-12.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$2.56 CA$3.58

-17.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 CA$2.58

$2.82 CA$3.95

-34.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 CA$2.86

$2.57 CA$3.59

-20.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.55 CA$2.16

-21.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.17 CA$19.83

$14.59 CA$20.41

-2.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.97 CA$18.15

$15.60 CA$21.83

-16.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 CA$2.98

$2.58 CA$3.61

-17.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CA$3.24

$3.23 CA$4.52

-28.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.18 CA$3.05

$2.96 CA$4.14

-26.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 CA$105

$91.1 CA$127

-17.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 CA$4.15

$3.17 CA$4.43

-6.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.39 CA$1.95

2.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.73

$1.25 CA$1.75

-0.80%

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

$24.2K CA$33.9K

$28.3K CA$39.6K

-14.37%

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

$19.0K CA$26.6K

$21.3K CA$29.8K

-10.72%

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

$135 CA$189

$178 CA$249

-24.05%

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

$32.87 CA$45.98

$39.31 CA$55.0

-16.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.91 CA$64.2

$50.9 CA$71.2

-9.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.28 CA$36.76

$54.7 CA$76.5

-51.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.35 CA$3.28

$18.77 CA$26.25

-87.48%

Cinema Ticket

$12.31 CA$17.22

$14.55 CA$20.36

-15.40%

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

$820 CA$1,148

$812 CA$1,135

1.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K CA$14.8K

$16.4K CA$23.0K

-35.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 CA$73.9

$59.4 CA$83.1

-11.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.04 CA$46.22

$40.33 CA$56.4

-18.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 CA$130

$92.2 CA$129

1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$169

$113 CA$158

7.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 CA$2,619

$1,284 CA$1,796

45.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 CA$2,017

$1,018 CA$1,424

41.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,856 CA$3,996

$1,977 CA$2,766

44.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,356 CA$3,295

$1,746 CA$2,443

34.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K CA$14.3K

$3,571 CA$4,995

186.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,208 CA$11.5K

$3,359 CA$4,698

144.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,049 CA$4,265

$3,213 CA$4,495

-5.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.77

4.48

6.47%

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

Last update for Richmond: September 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,872 in Richmond and $1,284 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Richmond vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $395 per month, with Richmond 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

Richmond vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Richmond and Calgary differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,487 vs $2,344 including rent). Calgary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $1,872 in Richmond versus $1,284 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 $71.0 in Richmond. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,487 per month in Richmond versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,487 in Richmond, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Richmond. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Richmond. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.