Moving to Calgary: 10 Things to Know About Living in Calgary

Are you thinking about moving to Calgary? Calgary is a city known for many things, from its proximity to the Rocky Mountains to the annual Stampede. Thanks to the booming economy and the thriving Calgary real estate market, there are many things to love about living in Calgary. If you're looking for a new place to call home, come and see what living in Calgary is like. 

Why Move to Calgary? 10 Things You'll Love

• Strong Economy: Calgary offers a thriving job market and opportunities in industries like oil and gas, finance, technology, and engineering.
• Booming Tech Scene: In addition to its robust economy, Calgary's tech industry is growing at unprecedented rates. 
• High Standard of Living: Calgary consistently ranks among the top cities in Canada for quality of life.
• Natural Beauty: Nestled near the stunning Canadian Rockies, Calgary offers breathtaking views and outdoor recreational opportunities.
• Vibrant Arts & Culture Scene: Calgary has a rich arts and culture scene, with numerous theatres, art galleries, museums, and music festivals.
• The Annual Stampede: The city hosts the annual Calgary Stampede, a world-renowned event celebrating its Western roots.
• Sports & Recreation: Calgary is home to professional sports teams like the Calgary Flames (NHL) and the Calgary Stampeders (CFL).
• Education Opportunities: From preschool to PhDs, students of all ages can choose from a wide selection of public, charter, and private schools. 
• Low Taxes: Alberta has no provincial sales tax and lower overall taxes compared to many other provinces in Canada.
• Accessible Transportation: Calgary has a well-connected transportation system, including an extensive network of roads, public transit, and an international airport. 

Cost of Living in Calgary

Compared to other large cities in Canada, Calgary's cost of living is more affordable than Toronto, Vancouver, Montréal, and Ottawa.

Home values have surged over the past five years or so. The median home price in Calgary is around $585,000, although the prices in Calgary's most expensive neighbourhoods will often start at around $1 million. That said, you don't need to escape to the suburbs to find a cheaper place to live. The abundance of townhomes and condos in Calgary makes it easy to find low-cost living in the heart of the city.

For renters:

• A one-bedroom apartment will average around $1,700 per month
• A two-bedroom averages around $2,150
• A three-bedroom averages around $2,350

Average monthly utilities vary widely throughout the city. For basic electricity, gas, and water, expect to pay $250–$300 per month, with a few higher bills during the winter. Internet and phone service typically average around $75 and $25 per month, respectively.

Groceries tend to be more expensive than in other locations, especially for meat and dairy. Restaurant meals are reasonable, with dinner in a mid-range restaurant averaging between $15–$25 per person.

Healthcare is centralized by the government, and the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (ACHIP) is the provider of all healthcare services for residents.

One other way Calgarians save money: Alberta has no provincial sales tax.

Calgary Job Market

Calgary may have started with a concentration in the oil and gas industry, but times have changed. The energy sector still figures predominantly in the Calgary economy, but the region has a diverse landscape of industries.

Calgary is also consistently included among the highest-earning cities in Canada, with a median after-tax household income of $87,000 ($100,000 pre-tax). The Alberta minimum wage is $15 per hour.

Popular Industries in Calgary

Major contributors to the economy include jobs in the energy, financial services, film and television, transportation and logistics, technology, manufacturing, aerospace, health and wellness, retail, and tourism industries.

Large gas and oil companies like BP Canada, Canadian Natural Resources Limited, Suncor Energy, Shell Canada, and CNOOC Petroleum North America (formerly known as Nexen) have a presence in the city.

Shaw Communications, Telus, and Nova Chemicals are three of the biggest private employers. Meanwhile, healthcare and education top the roster of public sector jobs. The tech industry has also taken off in Calgary, providing opportunities at the best tech companies to work for. 

Things to Do in Calgary

Fun is never hard to find in Cowtown! Calgary is known for its annual Calgary Stampede, held every July. The city also has several sports teams like the Flames hockey team, Stampeders football team, and the Roughnecks lacrosse team. There is no shortage of things to do in Calgary.

Outdoor Activities in Calgary

Calgary has more than 20,000 acres of parkland available for public use by Calgary's residents. Some of the best parks in Calgary are Fish Creek Provincial Park and Nose Hill Park. Calgary has its fair share of beautiful trails nearby for those who love hiking. Big Hill Springs and Grassi Lakes Trail are two that stand out as fan favourites.

Calgary is a natural location for winter sports and ski resorts because of its proximity to the Rockies. As the home of the 1988 Winter Olympics, the city continues to host several major winter sporting events at Canada Olympic Park (also known as the Winter Sport Institute), including bobsledding, luge, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, downhill skiing, and snowboarding.

Like counterparts in other cities that have hosted the Olympic Games, the Olympic facilities continue to be used for athlete training when not used for competition. Also, Canada Olympic Park serves as a mountain biking trail in the summer months, so you can have year-round outdoor activities in Calgary.

Restaurants, Breweries, and Bars in Calgary

A local delicacy in Calgary is the cheese bun from Glamorgan Bakery. These pillows of buttery, cheesy goodness sell out fast, so come early or order ahead.

Any local will also tell you to get your hands on the mini doughnuts at the Calgary Stampede, available seasonally. Check out the Facebook page to track where and when Those Little Donuts reappear!

With over 120 spoken languages in Calgary, this diversity also translates to the food you find in restaurants. The aptly-named The Himalayan restaurant serves Nepalese food that many people have never had an opportunity to try. To sample some of the beef Calgary is known for, try Big Fish & Open Range, which locally sources all of its meat.

Five Calgary restaurants have landed on Canada's Top 100, including:

• Eight, a speakeasy that seats just eight diners at a time for a multi-course menu
• Nupo, a six-seater Omakase sushi bar experience
• River Cafe, which sources local meat and seafood and has a beautiful location in Prince's Island Park
• DOPO, one of the best Italian restaurants around
• Shokunin, dishing up Japanese-inspired cuisine with Canadian ingredients and a yakitori Omakase bar

Several of Calgary's bars got in on the action in a separate list, including Missy's This That, Proof, Paper Lantern, Rain Dog Bar, Shelter, and Business & Pleasure.

Nightlife in Calgary

Calgary is the home of the world-famous Cowboys Dance Hall, a nightclub and casino for people who love country music or just want to have a night filled with fun and line dancing.

If country music isn't your scene, you'll find an abundance of options, from small venues that provide intimate acoustic sets to traditional nightclubs with bottle service, international DJs, theme nights, and light shows.

Nightlife in the Beltline District, in particular, is vibrant almost every night of the week.

Climate

Calgary experiences cold winters with a lot of snow. January is Calgary's coldest month; temperatures can reach as low as -30°C, but the average is around -7°C. On average, Calgary will have 54 days of snowfall each year, and it will accumulate 1,288 mm of snow. Winters are also typically more humid in Calgary than in other Canadian cities.

During the summer, Calgary typically stays around 24°C; the hottest months are July and August. On average, Calgary has 68 rainy days per year and accumulates 327 mm of rain.

As the sunniest city in Canada, residents enjoy plenty of outdoor fun all year long. Calgary also experiences a unique winter phenomenon: Chinook winds. These warm winter winds provide a welcome respite from the cold and make it even easier to stay active in every season.

For those visiting when there isn't any snow on the ground, the best months to spend in Calgary are typically going to be June, July, and August, when temperatures range between 10 and 25°C. However, snow sports enthusiasts will want to plan their vacations starting in November when skiing season starts.

Calgary Traffic

Having a car to drive in Calgary is worthwhile, but with any populous city, it's important to expect some congestion. Morning and evening rush hours will slow down traffic, so time management is important when commuting to work.

While commutes depend on your home and work locations, the average commute in Calgary is about 25 minutes. It's the shortest average commute of Canada's five biggest cities, though admittedly, Ottawa's is barely a minute longer.

Calgary sits at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 2, so a lot of trucking traffic passes through the area carrying goods to other parts of the country.

Alternative Routes Around Calgary

Instead of driving on congested highways, most residents use the city's trails (the main expressways and freeways, named such because they're frequently built on the actual pioneering trails) and streets to travel through the city by car.

Stoney Trail (also known as the Calgary Ring Road and Highway 201) is a 101-kilometre freeway encircling the city. 

Another major road is Deerfoot Trail, which runs north and south through the city. It's typically busier than Stoney Trail but still faster than the major highways.

Calgary Public Transportation

Calgary has a few different options for public transportation, including trains, buses, and shuttles. One of the most popular ways to get around is the CTrain, which transports about 270,000 passengers per day and runs on 100% renewable wind-generated energy.

The CTrain runs mostly overground and consists of two lines: Blue and Red. The Blue line runs southwest to northeast, and the Red line travels northwest to southeast. The lines intersect downtown.

Cash fare is $3.80 for adults. Day passes are $11.95, and monthly passes are $118. The downtown part of the CTrain along 7th Avenue is free!

Leashed dogs and other pets in carriers are welcome aboard. If you're in Calgary for university, look into the UPass program.

Calgary is considered car-dependent, but a large number of neighbourhoods are considered walkable. Just about every neighbourhood in the City Centre district is considered walkable or has walkable spots, with some exceptions to the southeast by the Bow River.

Additionally, there are around 1,000 kilometres of multi-use paths throughout the city for walking and biking, with an additional 96 kilometres of hiking trails. The Peace Bridge, a pedestrian and cycling bridge, provides access to the downtown area from the north side of the Bow River.

Don't have your own bike? No problem! Calgary's partnered with Bird Canada and Neuron to provide e-scooter and e-bikeshare programs.

There's also an extensive skyway network called the Plus 15. This network allows pedestrians to move throughout downtown while being protected from rain and cold.

Ridesharing services and taxis are also plentiful in Calgary. They provide a good option for transportation when in an area outside the city center or the domain of the C-Train.

Calgary Schools

Calgary has two main school systems: the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Catholic School District.

The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) operates more than 250 public schools. Be sure to check which school zone you're moving into directly through the CBE's tool—population growth has spurred the construction of additional schools, and zoning may change year to year.

The Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) operates almost 120 schools and is the largest Catholic school district in Alberta. It covers not only Calgary, but also Airdrie, Cochrane, Chestermere, and other areas in Rocky View County.

There are about two dozen CBE schools offering French immersion programs, and 70+ charter and private schools parents and guardians can choose from.

Calgary has six universities:

• University of Calgary
• Mount Royal University
• Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)
• Alberta University of the Arts (AUArts)
• Ambrose University
• St. Mary's University

Pros and Cons of Living in Calgary, Alberta

Benefits of Living in Calgary

Economic Opportunities:

• Job Market: Calgary has a strong economy with significant opportunities in industries such as oil and gas, technology, and finance. The city has one of the highest median household incomes in Canada.
• Entrepreneurship: Calgary is known for its entrepreneurial spirit, with a growing tech sector and support for startups.

Natural Beauty and Things to Do:

• Proximity to the Rockies: Calgary is close to the Rocky Mountains, making it easy to enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and snowboarding.
• Parks and Green Spaces: The city has numerous parks, such as Fish Creek Provincial Park and Nose Hill Park, offering plenty of recreational opportunities.
• Cultural Scene: The city has a vibrant arts and culture scene, with events like the Calgary Stampede, Chinook Blast, theatres, museums, and music festivals.

Transportation and Infrastructure:

• Public Transit: Calgary's public transit system is efficient, with an extensive light rail (CTrain) and bus network.
• Airport: The Calgary International Airport is a major hub, making travel convenient.

Education:

• Schools and Universities: Calgary has a strong education system, with reputable schools and universities, such as the University of Calgary.

Weather (for those who enjoy summer):

• Sunniest City in Canada: Calgary has more hours of bright sunlight per year than anywhere else in Canada.
• Chinooks: Cold winter weather is broken up by bursts of warmth.

Disadvantages of Living in Calgary

Weather (for those who dislike winter):

• Cold Winters: Calgary has long, cold winters with temperatures often dipping below -20°C (-4°F), which can be challenging for some people.
• Snow: Snowfall can be heavy, and it can occur well into spring, sometimes as late as May.

Cost of Living:

• Housing: While not as expensive as cities like Vancouver or Toronto, Calgary's housing market can still be pricey, especially in desirable neighbourhoods.
• Utilities: Heating costs can be high due to the cold climate.

Calgary's a Huge City:

• Commuting: Calgary is a sprawling city, and commutes can be long, especially for those living in the suburbs.
• Traffic: Traffic congestion can be an issue during peak hours.

What Time Zone Is Calgary In?

Calgary, Alberta, is in the Mountain Time Zone (MT).

Here's how it compares to other time zones in Canada:

• Pacific Time Zone (PT): 1 hour behind Mountain Time. For example, when it's noon in Calgary, it's 11:00 a.m. in Vancouver.
• Central Time Zone (CT): 1 hour ahead of Mountain Time. For example, when it's noon in Calgary, it's 1:00 p.m. in Winnipeg.
• Eastern Time Zone (ET): 2 hours ahead of Mountain Time. For example, when it's noon in Calgary, it's 2:00 p.m. in Toronto.
• Atlantic Time Zone (AT): 3 hours ahead of Mountain Time. For example, when it's noon in Calgary, it's 3:00 p.m. in Halifax.
• Newfoundland Time Zone (NT): 3.5 hours ahead of Mountain Time. For example, when it's noon in Calgary, it's 3:30 p.m. in St. John's.

So, Is Calgary a Good Place to Live?

Within the four quadrants and 14 wards, there is truly something for everyone in the best neighborhoods in Calgary. This city has come a long way from its humble homesteading haven beginnings, developing into an important city for energy and other industries. Every season in this city has something to offer, whether it's skiing or picnicking at one of the many beautiful parks. Calgary is truly a city that anyone can call home.