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: $3,100 in Richmond Hill versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,206 in Richmond Hill versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,311 in Richmond Hill versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Richmond Hill is roughly 23% more expensive than Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Richmond Hill 131% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 CA$26.11

$18.59 CA$25.86

1.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.8 CA$114

$70.0 CA$97.4

16.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 CA$12.42

$10.96 CA$15.24

-18.52%

Cappuccino

$3.23 CA$4.49

$3.73 CA$5.19

-13.40%

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

$2.02 CA$2.81

$1.99 CA$2.77

1.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 CA$2.05

$1.72 CA$2.40

-14.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 CA$8.10

$5.01 CA$6.97

16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.01

$6.50 CA$9.05

10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.21

$2.22 CA$3.09

4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.67 CA$3.71

-3.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 CA$3.16

$3.26 CA$4.54

-30.37%

Eggs

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.35 CA$4.66

11.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.71 CA$19.07

$14.50 CA$20.16

-5.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.21 CA$15.59

$12.95 CA$18.01

-13.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 CA$20.71

$16.15 CA$22.46

-7.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.12

$4.32 CA$6.01

1.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.35 CA$1.88

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.93

$3.83 CA$5.32

-26.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.70

$4.18 CA$5.81

-19.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$2.65 CA$3.68

-7.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.05

$2.74 CA$3.81

-20.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 CA$2.63

$2.76 CA$3.84

-31.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 CA$1.32

$1.95 CA$2.71

-51.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.02 CA$16.71

$14.98 CA$20.83

-19.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 CA$17.99

$14.67 CA$20.40

-11.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$2.84 CA$3.95

-31.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$4.02 CA$5.59

-40.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.80 CA$3.90

-1.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$157

$86.2 CA$120

30.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$3.60 CA$5.01

-15.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 CA$1.48

$1.32 CA$1.83

-19.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 CA$30.83

$29.01 CA$40.35

-23.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.12 CA$1.56

-2.68%

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

$25.4K CA$35.3K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

2.01%

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

$20.1K CA$28.0K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-8.46%

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

$179 CA$248

$217 CA$302

-17.74%

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

$42.79 CA$59.5

$41.55 CA$57.8

2.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$80.4

$58.1 CA$80.8

-0.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.32 CA$61.6

$54.7 CA$76.1

-18.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

Cinema Ticket

$12.65 CA$17.59

$12.77 CA$17.75

-0.94%

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

$419 CA$582

$874 CA$1,215

-52.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K CA$21.5K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

-3.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.25 CA$65.7

$58.8 CA$81.8

-19.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 CA$60.1

$46.47 CA$64.6

-6.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 CA$86.9

$87.2 CA$121

-28.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 CA$124

$109 CA$151

-18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 CA$2,509

$1,414 CA$1,966

27.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 CA$2,588

$1,172 CA$1,630

58.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 CA$4,251

$2,319 CA$3,225

31.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,544 CA$3,538

$1,886 CA$2,623

34.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,687 CA$9,299

$3,892 CA$5,413

71.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,570 CA$7,747

$3,503 CA$4,872

59.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,000 CA$4,172

$3,149 CA$4,380

-4.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

5.71

15.41%

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

Last update for Richmond Hill: June 2, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,804 in Richmond Hill and $1,414 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: $82.0 in Richmond Hill vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $344 vs $397, with Richmond Hill 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

Richmond Hill vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 5% 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: $1,804 in Richmond Hill 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 Calgary – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $82.0 in Richmond Hill. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,100 per month in Richmond Hill versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 23% less than in Richmond Hill. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.