How Much Does It Cost to Live In Edmonton?
When we compare Edmonton to the rest of Canada, it can be concluded that the standard of living here is generally higher due to the higher average wage and lower expenses for utilities and housing.
This is a reason good enough to attract numerous settlers to choose relocating here, as this is an ideal place to live in Canada.
It is a fast growing city, which has various advantages and can suit everyone’s taste.
Canada : Cost of Living by City
- Abbotsford
- Barrie
- Brampton
- Burlington
- Burnaby
- Calgary
- Coquitlam
- Edmonton
- Halifax
- Hamilton
- Kelowna
- Kingston
- Kitchener
- London
- Mississauga
- Moncton
- Montreal
- Nanaimo, BC
- Oshawa
- Ottawa
- Quebec City
- Red Deer
- Regina
- Saskatoon
- St. John’s, NL
- Surrey
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Victoria
- Windsor
- Winnipeg
RESTAURANTS
Many factors can affect the cost of living in Edmonton and whether you will enjoy eating out daily or you will rather prepare meals at home is one of the situations that can have a huge impact on your budget.
It is true that inexpensive restaurants have almost equal prices as in some cities in Europe, but there are more posh ones where meal prices exceed $100 per person.
MARKETS
According to the provided data, the average spending on groceries is quite high in Edmonton, exceeding 30% of monthly budget.
Your cannot determine the exact amount of money you will need for grocery bills, as it varies from person to person, but it is sure that food is not inexpensive in Edmonton.
TRANSPORTATION
Public transportation system in Edmonton is efficient and it offers both daily and monthly passes, as well as one way tickets.
It is always more affordable buying a monthly pass if you are commuting daily.
Another option is driving, which is frequent, but not inexpensive here.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Your home in Edmonton will take you not only a lot of money for rent, but will probably cost you $170 more for bills.
Due to the cold winters, your bills during winter months will be significantly higher.
The costs will also depend on the size of the apartment and number of people living there.
SPORTS & LEISURE
Entertainment is important in the life of young people, and they would find Edmonton a place where there are numerous opportunities, but not at low prices.
A visit to the cinema would cost you $10, while one hour of tennis is $15.
Fitness lovers will need to spend $40 per month for exercising in the gym.
CLOTHING & SHOES
If your daily costs do not include alcohol or any dining out then you might have some money left to spend on your apparel.
Canadians are not spending much money on it, but the foreigners might find clothing prices affordable when compared to their countries.
RENT PER MONTH
The average monthly rent for an apartment increases daily in Edmonton, due to a huge number of tourists and settlers coming to the city.
Nevertheless, it is still quite lower than in some other Canadian cities and thus more affordable.
Renting an apartment out of the city center would be a better option if your income is not so high.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Edmonton
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $12.39 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $4.50 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $1.37 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $6.10 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $1.82 |
| Eggs (12) | $2.53 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $2.44 |
| Monthly Pass | $72.81 |
| Gasoline | $3.46 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $110.67 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.27 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $54.63 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $39.81 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $14.68 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $10.83 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $44.44 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $31.61 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $74.76 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $933.50 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $764.70 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $1414.69 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Edmonton?
Even though the citizens of Edmonton typically enjoy higher incomes than other parts of Canada, it is still very difficult to balance among all the expenses that have to be covered during a month.
More money is spent on food than on rent, while people here tend to spend more in restaurants than on transportation.
In the third place, according to the statistics, there are utilities and leisure, which are not of utmost importance for living, as well as clothing.
Average Costs Breakdown
Edmonton: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
One way of saving a lot of money on rent is buying a property in Edmonton.
You will decide if you have enough money to spend on this and home prices depend on various things such as the size, location and condition of the apartment.
If you cannot afford buying it, get ready to give more than a half of your monthly income on the rent.
The distinction between the average and minimum wage in Edmonton is huge, and you should be acquainted with this fact when looking for an appropriate job.
Edmonton Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Edmonton Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: LOW
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: LOW
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Cost of Living by City in Edmonton
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Abbotsford | 58.95 |
| Barrie | 77.37 |
| Brampton | 68.79 |
| Burlington | 73.13 |
| Burnaby | 64.94 |
| Calgary | 68.93 |
| Coquitlam | 67.43 |
| Halifax | 70.88 |
| Hamilton | 60.75 |
| Kelowna | 66.6 |
| Kingston | 66.45 |
| Kitchener | 58.93 |
| London | 59.15 |
| Mississauga | 65.08 |
| Moncton | 61.15 |
| Montreal | 63.52 |
| Nanaimo, BC | 65.28 |
| Oshawa | 65.44 |
| Ottawa | 62.88 |
| Quebec City | 66.1 |
| Red Deer | 67.42 |
| Regina | 68.46 |
| Saskatoon | 74.26 |
| St. John’s, NL | 74.05 |
| Surrey | 59.18 |
| Toronto | 70.19 |
| Vancouver | 69.63 |
| Victoria | 66.17 |
| Windsor | 64.42 |
| Winnipeg | 63.15 |
I’m surprised to see the rent difference between the city center and suburbs is not that much, I wonder why that is. The prices seem very reasonable as well, I spend considerably more for my house in Burlington, but maybe wages are higher here as well. Very interesting to see all of these stats!
Looking at this data, I guess I got a nice deal on my apartment. 1 bed in the city center for $770/month. It’s quite nice too. My finances are stretched though, utilities are quite expensive and I have to budget my food carefully. I don’t mind so much, it’s nice and convenient living here.
Moving to Edmonton from Moncton was quite a sting, rent is far higher here, almost 50% more. I had a nice job offer though and it pays more than what I was earning in Moncton so that offsets it some. The move has definitely forced me to be more conservative with my spending which isn’t such a bad thing, I just miss the lower prices!