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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Calgary startup scene score: 75/100. Cost index 114, internet 88 Mbps, median income $86,500/yr. How does Calgary stack up for founders vs Alberta peers?
Calgary startup scene score: 75/100. Cost index 114, internet 88 Mbps, median income $86,500/yr. How does Calgary stack up for founders vs Alberta peers?
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 | Vancouver | 134 | $2,850 | $80,000 |
| 3 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 |
| 4 | Montreal | 104 | $1,700 | $66,000 |
| 5 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 |
| 6 | Victoria | 120 | $2,300 | $76,000 |
| 7 | Edmonton | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 |
| 8 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 |
| 9 | Halifax | 100 | $1,720 | $66,000 |
| 10 | Quebec City | 96 | $1,350 | $63,500 |
| 11 | Hamilton | 110 | $1,880 | $76,000 |
| 12 | Winnipeg | 93 | $1,420 | $67,500 |
| 13 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 |
| 14 | Surrey | 124 | $2,420 | $74,000 |
| 15 | Saskatoon | 96 | $1,480 | $72,000 |
| 16 | Regina | 94 | $1,370 | $70,000 |
| 17 | Laval | 101 | $1,500 | $67,500 |
| 18 | Fredericton | 92 | $1,260 | $61,000 |
| 19 | St. John's | 94 | $1,200 | $65,500 |
| 20 | Saint John | 90 | $1,210 | $59,000 |
Here's the surprising part: 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.
Zooming out, looking at Alberta as a whole, the spread across all 21 cities is 21 points on the cost index. Charlottetown sits at the other end with index 93 and rent of $1,340/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 here's the trade-off: 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.
Vancouver — cost index 134, rent $2,850/mo, income $80,000, QoL 59/100.
Toronto — cost index 126, rent $2,750/mo, income $82,000, QoL 56/100.
Montreal — cost index 104, rent $1,700/mo, income $66,000, QoL 64/100.
Ottawa — cost index 113, rent $2,100/mo, income $86,000, QoL 64/100.
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. Vancouver: cost index 134, rent $2,850/mo, income $80,000/yr, QoL 59/100.
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.