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Calgary vs Edmonton cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐จ๐ฆ Calgary
๐จ๐ฆ Edmonton
At a glance
- Where Edmonton is clearly cheaper: Haircut (18%โ)
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Laundry (27%โ), Street food (20%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Calgary is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: getting around โ Calgary 2 vs Edmonton 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Calgary | Edmonton | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | C$ 23$16.9 | Edmonton โ8% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | C$ 15$11 | Calgary โ20% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | C$ 50$36.8 | Edmonton โ9% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | C$ 5.6$4.12 | Edmonton โ7% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | C$ 8$5.88 | Edmonton โ11% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 15$11 | C$ 13$9.56 | Edmonton โ13% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | C$ 2.3$1.69 | Edmonton โ8% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | C$ 3.1$2.28 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | C$ 15$11 | Edmonton โ12% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | C$ 9$6.62 | Edmonton โ10% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | C$ 3.75$2.76 | Edmonton โ6% |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | C$ 45$33.1 | Calgary โ11% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | C$ 160$118 | Edmonton โ11% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | C$ 1,400$1,029 | Edmonton โ13% |
| Laundry | C$ 5.1$3.75 | C$ 7$5.15 | Calgary โ27% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | C$ 35$25.7 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 33$24.3 | C$ 27$19.9 | Edmonton โ18% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | C$ 110$80.9 | Calgary โ9% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | C$ 90$66.2 | Edmonton โ10% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 25$18.4 | C$ 25$18.4 | similar |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Calgary or Edmonton?
Edmonton is 10% cheaper than Calgary. Daily budget $274 vs $246; a month $4,857 vs $4,342.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or Edmonton?
Calgary is easier: Calgary 1.4/5 vs Edmonton 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and Edmonton?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and Edmonton about $4,342 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.