Hi,
I want to know what will be the cost of living for a newbie in Calgary. on a very broad scale these are my concerns
1) Appt to rent in a decent neighbourhood
2) Cost of groceries for me and my kid(1.5 yrs)
3) Cost of basic TV, Telephone with voice mail, utilities and high speed internet
4) Cost of transportation

Also is it safe for a single mom to stay without her husband..
If someone else can give insight on other cities like Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver or Edmonton.

Thanks
Ritu

Quote:

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Orginally posted by ritujoshi

Hi,
I want to know what will be the cost of living for a newbie in Calgary. on a very broad scale these are my concerns
1) Appt to rent in a decent neighbourhood
2) Cost of groceries for me and my kid(1.5 yrs)
3) Cost of basic TV, Telephone with voice mail, utilities and high speed internet
4) Cost of transportation

Also is it safe for a single mom to stay without her husband..
If someone else can give insight on other cities like Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver or Edmonton.

Thanks
Ritu

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Thanks for the reply. An interesting article indeed. Just wondering if there are some posts for other cities as well.

Hi,

I live in Calgary.

My expenses are as follows :

1. Apartment rent --- $590 per month
2. Electricity - around $35 to $50 per month.
3. Laundry - around $25 per month
4. Phone - $26 per month (without voicemail) for local calls.
5. Basic TV + internet package is around $40. I have taken entire package + ATN (Hindi channel) + internet which works out to $102 per month.
6. Cost of transportation - You can buy a public transit pass for $70 per month which you can use for bus & C-train. If you travel by cab, that would be expensive. For 1.5 years kid, it is free.
7. Grocery would be around $250 maximum.
8. Health premium would be around $44 to $88 per month. I am not exactly sure how much you would have to pay for yourself & one kid. I used to pay $88 for a 4 member family. After completing one year, I have got waiver since my income is less than the income level set by the govt. If you take additional coverage for prescription drugs, dental, vision, etc. then premium would be extra.

Add another $50 for miscellaneous expenses.

You would have to pay deposit for renting a house which is like 1 month rent. For getting a electricity & phone connection in your name, you might have to pay a deposit too (around $100).

It is safe to stay without husband. You have many people staying alone here.

Thanks & regards.

Rajan.

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