Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tucson, AZ and Edmonton

For one person, living is cheaper in Edmonton: $2,188 a month against $2,327 in Tucson, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tucson, AZ, United States
Edmonton, Canada
Tucson, AZ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,327
/mo nomad
Edmonton
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,188
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tucson, AZ and in Edmonton

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tucson, AZ and in Edmonton actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,327 per month in Tucson, AZ vs $2,188 in Edmonton, rent included.

  • Tucson, AZ $2,327
  • Edmonton $2,188

A couple spends around $3,432 per month in Tucson, AZ vs $3,196 in Edmonton, rent included.

  • Tucson, AZ $3,432
  • Edmonton $3,196

A family of three spends $4,537 per month in Tucson, AZ vs $4,203 in Edmonton, rent included.

  • Tucson, AZ $4,537
  • Edmonton $4,203

Tucson, AZ costs about 6% more than Edmonton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Tucson, AZ and Edmonton sit above the global median – Tucson, AZ by 71%, Edmonton by 61%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tucson, AZ
Edmonton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.86 $19.86
$19.92 CA$27.95
-0.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.4 $79.4
$78.2 CA$110
1.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.06 $13.06
$10.14 CA$14.23
28.80%
Cappuccino
$5.13 $5.13
$3.96 CA$5.56
29.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 $2.75
$2.34 CA$3.28
17.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.03 CA$2.84
9.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.09 $7.09
$5.76 CA$8.08
23.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.35 $7.35
$6.34 CA$8.90
15.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tucson, AZ
Edmonton
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.62 CA$2.27
-41.36%
White Bread (500g)
$3.27 $3.27
$2.15 CA$3.02
52.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.12 $5.12
$3.03 CA$4.26
68.98%
Eggs
$4.55 $4.55
$3.58 CA$5.03
27.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.54 $13.54
$10.77 CA$15.11
25.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.36 $11.36
$11.31 CA$15.88
0.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.96 $16.96
$18.80 CA$26.39
-9.79%
Apples (1kg)
$4.65 $4.65
$4.13 CA$5.79
12.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.87 $1.87
$1.40 CA$1.96
33.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.95 $3.95
$4.24 CA$5.95
-6.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 $4.09
$3.95 CA$5.54
3.54%
Potato (1kg)
$2.45 $2.45
$2.13 CA$2.98
15.02%
Onion (1kg)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.79 CA$2.52
63.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.07 $2.07
$2.48 CA$3.48
-16.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.08 $2.08
$1.79 CA$2.51
16.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.04 $11.04
$14.32 CA$20.10
-22.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.23 $13.23
$11.58 CA$16.25
14.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 $2.44
$3.45 CA$4.85
-29.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 $3.76
$2.98 CA$4.18
26.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Tucson, AZ
Edmonton
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.64 CA$3.71
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.9 CA$102
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.69 $2.69
$2.87 CA$4.02
-6.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.42 CA$1.99
-0.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.18 $36.18
$20.99 CA$29.45
72.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$1.18 CA$1.66
-8.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K $35.8K
$27.5K CA$38.6K
30.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$20.7K CA$29.1K
28.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tucson, AZ
Edmonton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$194 $194
$231 CA$324
-15.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$62.9 $62.9
$43.33 CA$60.8
45.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.3 $74.3
$54.8 CA$77.0
35.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tucson, AZ
Edmonton
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.51 $36.51
$43.95 CA$61.7
-16.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.06 $10.06
$18.43 CA$25.86
-45.42%
Cinema Ticket
$13.14 $13.14
$12.60 CA$17.69
4.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tucson, AZ
Edmonton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,053 $1,053
$626 CA$879
68.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K $15.8K
$9,741 CA$13.7K
62.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tucson, AZ
Edmonton
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.3 $54.3
$44.27 CA$62.1
22.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.38 $43.38
$47.59 CA$66.8
-8.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.1 $97.1
$87.9 CA$123
10.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 $112
$97.1 CA$136
15.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tucson, AZ
Edmonton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,434 $1,434
$1,088 CA$1,527
31.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 $1,063
$913 CA$1,281
16.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,264 $2,264
$1,720 CA$2,413
31.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,722 $1,722
$1,382 CA$1,939
24.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,364 $3,364
$2,243 CA$3,148
49.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,539 $2,539
$1,946 CA$2,732
30.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tucson, AZ
Edmonton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,016 $4,016
$3,428 CA$4,811
17.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.44
4.32
49.07%

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

Last update for Tucson, AZ: October 27, 2026

Last update for Edmonton: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tucson, AZ
$1.1K
Edmonton
$913 14.1% $150
Groceries & Markets
Tucson, AZ
$392
Edmonton
$363 7.5% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tucson, AZ
$332
Edmonton
$329 0.8% $2.6
Eating Out
Tucson, AZ
$330
Edmonton
$296 10.1% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Tucson, AZ
$138
Edmonton
$125 9.8% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Tucson, AZ
$63
Edmonton
$69 10.2% $6.4
Getting Around
Tucson, AZ
$9.7 *
Edmonton
$93 861% $84

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,434 in Tucson, AZ versus $1,088 in Edmonton. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Tucson, AZ. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Tucson, AZ versus $78 in Edmonton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $363 – making Edmonton the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Tucson, AZ
🇨🇦 Edmonton
🕒 Local time
18:01 6:01 PM
19:01 7:01 PM
1 h ahead of Tucson, AZ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
520,116
1,010,899
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tucson, AZ Edmonton 2,380 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tucson, AZ
  • Edmonton

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Tucson, AZ vs Edmonton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tucson, AZ and in Edmonton compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,327 in Tucson, AZ, $2,188 in Edmonton – Edmonton comes out roughly 6% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.
What salary covers living expenses in Tucson, AZ compared to Edmonton?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,490 per month in Tucson, AZ and $3,282 in Edmonton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tucson, AZ and Edmonton?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Edmonton, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,088 there versus $1,434 in Tucson, AZ.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Tucson, AZ and Edmonton?
Kindergarten costs $1,053 per month in Tucson, AZ and $626 in Edmonton. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Tucson, AZ or Edmonton?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,327 in Tucson, AZ and $2,188 in Edmonton. That makes Edmonton about 6% cheaper.
How far does $3,000 go in Tucson, AZ compared to Edmonton?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,327 in Tucson, AZ and $2,188 in Edmonton, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Tucson, AZ or Edmonton?
Families tend to lean toward Edmonton – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Tucson, AZ and Edmonton?
If budget matters most, go with Edmonton. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tucson, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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