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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,975 in Richmond Hill versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,082 in Richmond Hill versus $3,499 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,189 in Richmond Hill versus $4,655 in Calgary.

Living in Richmond Hill is roughly 27% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Richmond Hill 116% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.16 CA$25.19

$18.45 CA$25.59

-1.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 CA$98.9

$71.5 CA$99.2

-0.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.77 CA$14.93

$10.68 CA$14.81

0.84%

Cappuccino

$3.65 CA$5.06

$3.93 CA$5.46

-7.12%

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

$1.80 CA$2.50

$2.02 CA$2.80

-10.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.97 CA$2.73

-26.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.13

$4.92 CA$6.82

19.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 CA$10.00

$5.90 CA$8.19

22.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.77 CA$3.85

$2.03 CA$2.82

36.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 CA$3.67

$2.86 CA$3.97

-7.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 CA$2.98

$5.72 CA$7.93

-62.41%

Eggs

$4.46 CA$6.19

$3.81 CA$5.29

17.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.01

$11.56 CA$16.04

-0.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 CA$16.07

$11.95 CA$16.57

-3.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 CA$18.90

$18.97 CA$26.30

-28.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.27

$4.91 CA$6.82

-22.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$1.42 CA$1.97

-4.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.81

$4.36 CA$6.04

-20.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.76

$4.03 CA$5.59

2.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.95

$2.72 CA$3.77

-21.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 CA$2.93

$2.88 CA$3.99

-26.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 CA$3.31

$2.57 CA$3.57

-7.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.17

$1.49 CA$2.07

4.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.84 CA$19.19

$14.71 CA$20.41

-5.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.91 CA$17.91

$15.57 CA$21.60

-17.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$2.52 CA$3.50

-25.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 CA$3.29

$3.27 CA$4.53

-27.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.73

$2.94 CA$4.07

-8.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$156

$89.8 CA$125

25.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 CA$4.32

$3.30 CA$4.58

-5.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$1.37 CA$1.90

-16.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.98 CA$26.32

$27.07 CA$37.54

-29.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.22 CA$1.69

-1.64%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

-0.02%

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

$19.6K CA$27.2K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

-6.01%

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

$143 CA$199

$182 CA$253

-21.38%

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

$36.17 CA$50.2

$39.50 CA$54.8

-8.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.00 CA$65.2

$51.4 CA$71.3

-8.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.02 CA$59.7

$54.8 CA$76.0

-21.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.36 CA$25.46

$18.79 CA$26.07

-2.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 CA$15.69

$14.52 CA$20.14

-22.11%

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

$360 CA$499

$819 CA$1,136

-56.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K CA$15.1K

$16.3K CA$22.7K

-33.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.78 CA$62.1

$61.8 CA$85.8

-27.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.57 CA$54.9

$40.15 CA$55.7

-1.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 CA$122

$94.3 CA$131

-6.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100.0 CA$139

$114 CA$158

-12.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 CA$2,431

$1,256 CA$1,741

39.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 CA$2,504

$1,089 CA$1,510

65.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,029 CA$4,201

$1,994 CA$2,766

51.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,467 CA$3,422

$1,706 CA$2,367

44.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,536 CA$9,065

$3,627 CA$5,031

80.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,624 CA$7,800

$3,403 CA$4,719

65.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,051 CA$4,232

$3,246 CA$4,502

-6.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.48

0.67%

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

Last update for Richmond Hill: September 6, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,753 in Richmond Hill and $1,256 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 6% 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 Hill vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $401 per month, with Richmond Hill 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 Hill vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% 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: $1,753 in Richmond Hill versus $1,256 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 Hill. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,975 per month in Richmond Hill versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,975 in Richmond Hill, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Richmond Hill. 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 27% less than in Richmond Hill. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.