Cost of Living in Edmonton (2026) — Monthly Budget

Wondering how far your salary goes in Edmonton? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.

What things cost

One-bed flat, downtown or OliverCAD 1,250–1,650 / month

One-bed flat, Old Strathcona or along the LRTCAD 1,150–1,500 / month

Utilities and internet, one personCAD 170–300 / month, with a real January spike

Groceries, one personCAD 400–550 / month

Monthly ETS transit pass on an Arc cardCAD 105 / month

Good to know

Population

≈1.1 million in the city; ≈1.5 million across the metropolitan region

Role

Capital of Alberta — the legislature, the provincial civil service and the regulators are here, not in Calgary

Languages

English, with substantial Tagalog, Punjabi, Cantonese, Arabic and Ukrainian-speaking communities

Currency

Canadian dollar (CAD)

Time zone

MST/MDT (GMT−7/−6)

Power plug

Type A and B, 120 V, 60 Hz

Climate

Continental at 53.5°N — long severe winters reaching −30 °C, warm dry summers, and under 7.5 hours of daylight at the solstice

Sales tax

5% federal GST only — Alberta charges no provincial sales tax and no land transfer tax

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.

A note on budgeting

Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Edmonton checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.