Get to know Canada: Cost of living in Edmonton

TrekNation
4 min readOct 16, 2021

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Image Credit: Brandon Erlinger

Alberta’s capital and largest city in the north, Edmonton is a dynamic and cosmopolitan metropolis in the heart of the wild. It is located 220 kilometers northeast of the Rocky Mountains at the mouth of the North Saskatchewan River. Located on the border between grasslands and boreal backwoods, it is an incredibly picturesque location. Although it is the provincial capital, it is the second-biggest city in Alberta after Calgary. Edmonton serves up the perfect blend of big city vibes and exhilarating outdoor adventure. No matter the season, Edmonton is made for exploring. Edmonton shines as an arts and culture hub with awe-inspiring experiences happening year-round.

Living in Edmonton offers a range of employment opportunities. As it is a major oil and gas center, it attracts many migrant workers. As a result of this, the city is ethnically diverse, with more than 25 percent of the local population belonging to a “visible minority”, mainly Chinese and other Asian ethnicities.

Why Edmonton?

There are few other important points why people prefer living in Edmonton they are-

Cost of Living:
Living in Edmonton is for the most part more affordable and has its perks when it comes to rental pricing. Lease is on average 13% lower than in Calgary, one more significant city in Alberta. Rent in Edmonton is reasonable, as two-room rental apartments commonly range from $1100 to $1300 every month, depending upon area and size. Multi-family homes like two-and three-room homes, as Delton Townhomes can be rented for about $1,400 per month or more, where numerous families live in a clamoring family-situated local area.

Work in Edmonton:
Edmonton offers numerous chances for work across a wide range of areas. It is generally known for its oil and gas industry, because of its admittance to the world’s third biggest demonstrated oil stores and Alberta’s petroleum gas stores. It’s likewise home to a significant number of Alberta’s top businesses across different disciplines, similar to training, police administrations, wellbeing and clinical, and government. Edmonton’s most recent developing industry is its tech area, which has seen a 53.3 percent increase between 2015 to 2020, positioning eighth for tech ability, contrasted with other Canadian urban communities, as indicated by the CBRE.

Recreation:
Edmonton is known as Canada’s Festival City, and for good reason. The celebrations never appear to stop, with more than 50 celebrations booked every year. From specialty brew, to film, to theater, there is something for everybody. Did you know? Edmonton is home to North America’s biggest and oldest fringe festival , the Edmonton Fringe Festival.

Cost of Living:

The cost of living varies depending on the location you live in and your budget. Let’s breakdown the cost of living in Edmonton in 2021

(These numbers represent an estimate of what it costs to live in Edmonton based on external sources as well as our writers’ personal experiences. It’s entirely possible for people to live in the city for much less, while others may need much more to fund the sort of lifestyle they prefer.)

Rent: 800–1250 CAD
In Edmonton basic rent for a one bedroom room accommodation varies from C$800 to C$1050 and that of a two bedroom varies from C$1150–1250.

Utilities: 250–330 CAD
Utilities generally include your phone bill, internet (wifi), tenant insurance, hydro (electricity), and sometimes water usage. Expect to pay between 200–250$ for your Hydro, Heating, Cooling, Water & Garbage. This can go up based on the age of your house or condo. Depending on your plan expect to pay 50–80$ each for your phone bill and Internet Bill.

Transportation: 100–700$
Many individuals get around Edmonton via vehicle. Petroleum costs range from 90% to C$1.24 per liter. The most economical spots to purchase petroleum generally include Costco, CO-OP, and Petro-Canada. These costs are similar to other parts of Alberta. The cost of owning a car can range between 300$ — 900$ depending on the type of car if it’s paid off already and your insurance premiums. If you want to use Public Transportation, Single-use passes for the bus or light rail are C$3.50. A month-to-month pass for these tickets and different kinds of public transportation normally costs about C$100 each month.

Groceries: $250 to $400:
Monthly groceries can vary between $250 to $400 depending upon the lifestyle of a family. Grocery stores like Walmart, Sobey’s, No Frills turn out to be cheaper than specialty grocery stores or individual stores.

Dining & Entertainment: $150 to $250

Eating outside in Edmonton can become expensive quickly, a meal at an inexpensive restaurant can cost around $20 for 2 people while a three-course meal at an expensive restaurant can cost around $50–150 easily. Movie tickets or show tickets can easily cost about $15–30 per person. Don’t forget your monthly subscriptions like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Spotify.

Health care:
Residents of Edmonton for the most part depend on the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan for coverage, a protection plan financed and controlled by the territory. This arrangement is intended to be genuinely thorough, yet it doesn’t cover everything. For medical care, the AHCIP gives full coverage to:

  • Medically necessary care
  • Care required by a doctor
  • Testing and other diagnostic procedures
  • Surgery
  • Hospital stays

Summary:
Overall you can expect to spend about 1550 CAD to 2900 CAD depending on whether you have a 1bed or 2bed, your lifestyle, and convenience.

To know more about life in Canada, keep an eye out for our latest blog series ‘Get to know Canada’ which is intended to help people understand and know more about life in Canada. To check out your current CRS Score, use our mobile app’s CRS calculator and keep an eye on the latest draws using the mobile app too. Download the TrekNation App from here.

*Image Credit — Brandon Erlinger

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