Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,430 in St. Albert, AB versus $2,481 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,120 in St. Albert, AB versus $3,599 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,810 in St. Albert, AB versus $4,716 in Calgary.

Living in St. Albert, AB costs roughly 2% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St. Albert, AB 83% above, Calgary 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.44 CA$25.84

$18.64 CA$26.12

-1.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$91.6

$70.3 CA$98.5

-6.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.24

$11.26 CA$15.78

-3.37%

Cappuccino

$3.86 CA$5.41

$3.70 CA$5.19

4.32%

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

$2.10 CA$2.94

$2.05 CA$2.88

2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.55

$1.67 CA$2.34

8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 CA$7.03

$5.26 CA$7.37

-4.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 CA$8.13

$6.74 CA$9.44

-13.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 CA$2.91

$2.23 CA$3.12

-6.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.81

$2.75 CA$3.86

-1.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$3.28 CA$4.60

-1.52%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.69

$3.40 CA$4.77

-1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 CA$19.44

$14.45 CA$20.25

-4.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.83 CA$17.98

$12.58 CA$17.63

1.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.90 CA$22.28

$15.85 CA$22.20

0.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.07

$4.42 CA$6.19

-2.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.34 CA$1.88

2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.17

$3.84 CA$5.38

-3.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.61

$4.33 CA$6.07

-7.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.76

$2.54 CA$3.57

5.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.83

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.69 CA$3.77

0.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$1.90 CA$2.66

-2.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.63 CA$20.50

$14.81 CA$20.75

-1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 CA$16.99

$14.43 CA$20.22

-15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.14

$2.94 CA$4.12

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.43

$3.98 CA$5.58

-20.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 CA$3.02

$2.70 CA$3.79

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 CA$90.1

$88.3 CA$124

-27.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 CA$4.92

$3.42 CA$4.80

2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.31 CA$1.84

3.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.72 CA$33.25

$28.41 CA$39.82

-16.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 CA$1.46

$1.12 CA$1.57

-6.25%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

1.34%

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

$22.0K CA$30.8K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

1.23%

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

$199 CA$279

$210 CA$295

-5.46%

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

$41.57 CA$58.3

$41.33 CA$57.9

0.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 CA$82.6

$57.8 CA$81.1

1.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.67 CA$57.0

$55.3 CA$77.5

-26.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.2 CA$73.2

Cinema Ticket

$12.62 CA$17.68

$12.47 CA$17.47

1.20%

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

$709 CA$994

$886 CA$1,242

-20.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.2K

$15.9K CA$22.4K

-27.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 CA$82.9

$59.1 CA$82.8

0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.07 CA$59.0

$47.08 CA$66.0

-10.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 CA$116

$87.1 CA$122

-4.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$110 CA$153

-3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 CA$1,851

$1,415 CA$1,982

-6.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 CA$1,644

$1,180 CA$1,654

-0.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 CA$1,940

$2,374 CA$3,327

-41.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 CA$1,625

$1,855 CA$2,599

-37.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,571 CA$3,602

$3,755 CA$5,262

-31.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,532 CA$3,549

$3,479 CA$4,875

-27.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,224 CA$4,518

$3,035 CA$4,253

6.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.71

6.48%

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

Last update for St. Albert, AB: July 26, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,321 in St. Albert, AB and $1,415 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Albert, AB 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: $65.0 in St. Albert, AB vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $396 per month, with St. Albert, AB 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

St. Albert, AB vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. Albert, AB is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% higher in St. Albert, AB, 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: $1,321 in St. Albert, AB versus $1,415 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in St. Albert, AB – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,430 per month in St. Albert, AB versus $2,481 in Calgary – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,430 in St. Albert, AB versus $2,481 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in St. Albert, AB but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes St. Albert, AB 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 St. Albert, AB gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.