Ever wonder exactly how much it costs to live alone in Calgary?
If you’ve ever had not-amazing roommates, a partner you’re ready to break up with, or are itching to move out of Mom and Dad’s, the question has probably crossed your mind. You’ve also probably heard all sorts of scary information about the high cost of living, inflation, and a bunch of other economic terms you only kind of understand.
Numbeo helps break down the cost of living based on monthly averages that have been self-reported by Calgarians. From rent to groceries and all of the fun things in between, here’s how much you can expect to spend as a single person in YYC.
Rent and utilities
Rent largely depends on where in the city you live and can fluctuate based on rental market trends, unit type, and other factors. A one-bedroom unit in the City Centre averages $1,959 a month, while outside of that downtown vicinity will run you slightly less at about $1,636. Basement suites can be closer to $1,000, depending on the factors listed above.
As for utilities, there is some wiggle room. Your basic electricity, heating, cooling, water, and garbage will average at about $291.22 a month, with heat likely to increase during winter.
WiFi will cost at least $84 (trust me, I’ve tried to find cheaper), and a monthly cellphone plan with ten gigabytes of data is $60 (but many providers are willing to swing you a deal if you prod — I’ve managed 20G of data a month for $30).
Overall, that’s a monthly average of $2,394.22 if you live downtown. Not exactly pocket change, but that entire number is still less than rent alone in downtown Vancouver.
Groceries and household items
This one’s a doozy, especially given the tariffs that may or may not happen. However, if you take Numbeo’s standard market items and purchase them once a week, it’s about $411.64 a month for a single adult with a basic diet.
(You could always do what I do and just buy whatever’s on sale, though I don’t necessarily recommend that route from a dietary standpoint).
Transportation
An adult monthly pass for public transit is $118, though low-income earners (less than $31,264 annually) can qualify for a lower fare.
If you drive, costs depend on whether you’re making car payments, what your insurance is, and how often you’re filling up on gas. As of writing, gas is $1.53, and the average car insurance is $169 a month. Say you’ve paid off your car and are filling a 50L gas tank twice a month. That’s about $322 before additional expenses, like parking or maintenance.
For the sake of consistency, we’ll go with the transit fare of $118 a month.
The rest of it
When you add up the average cost of these necessities, you can get by living in Calgary for about $2,923.86 a month. However, living doesn’t necessarily mean living, because naturally, you should have some fun expenses as well.
If you eat out once a week at an inexpensive restaurant, that’ll come to about $100, and four beers from a bar would be $36. The average gym membership is $70, though a fancier fitness studio could run you around $180.
And, of course, none of this takes into consideration things like pets, childcare, clothing, debt, most insurance, medications, and other lifestyle choices.
Basically, you could live in Calgary for under $3,000 a month. Realistically, it might cost you a little bit more. No two lifestyles are the same, and it’s important to remember that this list is just a starting point for if you’re considering living alone in Calgary.
Living is expensive. But the peace of mind of living on your own? Priceless.
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