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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Calgary air quality: AQI 22 — excellent. Green space 18%. Compared to Alberta cities in 2026.
Calgary air quality: AQI 22 — excellent. Green space 18%. Compared to Alberta cities in 2026.
Calgary: cost index 114 (+8 vs national avg 106), rent $2,050/month.
Alberta region average cost index: 106. Calgary is +8 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 61/100 — safety 66, healthcare 78, walkability 52.
Safety score: 66/100 (crime rate 52.4/1k). National average: 63/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calgary | 114 | $2,050 | $86,500 |
| 2 | Charlottetown | 93 | $1,340 | $59,500 |
| 3 | Fredericton | 92 | $1,260 | $61,000 |
| 4 | St. John's | 94 | $1,200 | $65,500 |
| 5 | Saint John | 90 | $1,210 | $59,000 |
| 6 | Victoria | 120 | $2,300 | $76,000 |
| 7 | Saskatoon | 96 | $1,480 | $72,000 |
| 8 | Regina | 94 | $1,370 | $70,000 |
| 9 | Halifax | 100 | $1,720 | $66,000 |
| 10 | Quebec City | 96 | $1,350 | $63,500 |
| 11 | Winnipeg | 93 | $1,420 | $67,500 |
| 12 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 |
| 13 | Edmonton | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 |
| 14 | Vancouver | 134 | $2,850 | $80,000 |
| 15 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 |
| 16 | Montreal | 104 | $1,700 | $66,000 |
| 17 | Laval | 101 | $1,500 | $67,500 |
| 18 | Surrey | 124 | $2,420 | $74,000 |
| 19 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 |
| 20 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 |
One stat flips the usual narrative: Calgary has a cost index of 114 — 8 points above the Canada national average of 106. Median income is $86,500 with rent at $2,050/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 28%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
Context matters here. looking at Alberta as a whole, the spread across all 21 cities is 4 points on the cost index. Hamilton sits at the other end with index 110 and rent of $1,880/mo. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Calgary scores a composite score of 61/100 — reflecting its safety (66), healthcare (78), and walkability (52) metrics. And there's one more thing: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
Calgary — cost index 114, rent $2,050/mo, income $86,500, QoL 61/100.
Charlottetown — cost index 93, rent $1,340/mo, income $59,500, QoL 68/100.
Fredericton — cost index 92, rent $1,260/mo, income $61,000, QoL 67/100.
St. John's — cost index 94, rent $1,200/mo, income $65,500, QoL 63/100.
Saint John — cost index 90, rent $1,210/mo, income $59,000, QoL 62/100.
Calgary has a cost index of 114 (national avg: 106), rent $2,050/mo, median income $86,500/yr, and a quality of life score of 61/100.
The Alberta region of average QoL score is 61/100. Calgary leads with 61/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA.
Calgary: cost index 114, rent $2,050/mo, income $86,500/yr, QoL 61/100. Charlottetown: cost index 93, rent $1,340/mo, income $59,500/yr, QoL 68/100.
This analysis uses data from Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA to rank cities in Canada. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.