🇨🇦Cost of Living in Calgary

Canada · Population: 1,340,000 · Cost Index: 70/100

Cost of Living in Calgary

Canada · North America

Alberta's largest city and Canada's energy capital, Calgary sits at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers with stunning Rocky Mountain views. Known for the annual Stampede rodeo, no provincial sales tax, and a high standard of living fueled by the oil and gas industry.

1,340,000

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $2,700 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Calgary

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$2,700

per month

Couple

$4,050

per month

Family of 4

$5,670

per month

Student

$2,030

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Calgary, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $1,775.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$1,500.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$1,100.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$2,600.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$1,900.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $13.32

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$17.00

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$75.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$10.50

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$2.70

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$3.10

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.40

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$4.00

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$12.00

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.80

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.70

Transportation

Avg: $21.79

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$100.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$2.50

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$3.60

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$1.50

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.35

Utilities

Avg: $96.00

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$175.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$55.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$58.00

Healthcare

Avg: $56.33

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$0.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$145.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$24.00

Entertainment

Avg: $18.43

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$50.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$13.00

Cappuccino(per cup)

$4.20

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$6.50

Clothing

Avg: $64.00

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$62.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$38.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$92.00

Popular Calgary comparisons

Calgary vs Toronto Calgary vs Montreal Calgary vs Ottawa Calgary vs Vancouver Calgary vs New York Calgary vs London Calgary vs Tokyo Calgary vs Singapore

Frequently asked questions about Calgary

Is Calgary expensive to live in?

Calgary has a cost of living index of 70 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This makes it relatively expensive compared with most cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Calgary?

A single person needs an estimated $2,700 per month to live in Calgary, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Calgary?

Calgary's cost of living index is 70 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Calgary?

Calgary scores 74 out of 100 for quality of life and 65 out of 100 for safety in our index.