Lethbridge cityscape

City snapshot

Cost of living in Lethbridge

Lethbridge , Alberta.

Alberta

Monthly baseline

$2,232

Total annual: $26,784

Balanced salary needed

$50,100

Balanced

Population

Alberta

Crime Severity Index

Sources and methodology

Official Basic-Needs Budgets

1 person$2,310
2 people$3,266
Family of 4$4,619

Market Basket Measure totals and advertised rent answer different questions. Rent is not added to the budget total because the MBM already includes a shelter component.

Data coverage: 97% (A) · 2025

Advertised Rent

Bachelor apartmentNo current published observation
1-bedroom apartment$1,290

2026-01 · Lethbridge, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

2-bedroom apartment$1,510

2026-01 · Lethbridge, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

3+ bedroom apartment$1,870

2026-01 · Lethbridge, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

Full-time centre-based childcare$451

2025 · Alberta

Local Indicators

Population143,143
Employed people72,700
Median after-tax income$85,300
Crime Severity Index105.5

Lethbridge, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

Cost breakdown

Rent (1bd)$1,290
Groceries$711
Transport$231
Total monthly$2,232

Move-in costs

First month + deposit (2x rent)$2,580
Furniture for a 1-bedroom$2,500
Basic household setup$600
Estimated setup total$5,680

Plan the next step

Housing and rent

Rent (1bd): $1,290.

Rent (1bd): $1,290 · Total monthly: $2,232

How this city compares

Lethbridge ranks #23 of 47 tracked cities by baseline monthly cost and is +$68 versus the cross-city average.

Average city baseline$2,164
Largest cost driverRent (1bd)

Salary guide for this city

Use these gross salary ranges as planning targets before running a detailed after-tax scenario for Lethbridge.

Essentials$39,700
Balanced$50,100
Comfortable$61,300

Best for

Lethbridge is strongest for alberta context and a higher baseline than the tracked-city average.

Watch out for

Rent (1bd) is the largest cost driver in the baseline. Plan around $2,232 per month before discretionary spending, plus about $5,680 for a basic move-in setup.

Local reality check

Rent represents about 58% of the baseline essentials shown here. Compared with the tracked-city average, this city is +$68.

Living in Lethbridge: what to budget for

Use this page as a starting point for Lethbridge: monthly essentials, move-in cash, salary targets, local population context, housing notes and safety data are shown together so you can move from research to a concrete budget.

Common questions

What is included in Lethbridge's monthly baseline?
The baseline includes a 1-bedroom rent estimate, groceries and transport for one adult. It is a planning baseline, not a quote.
Why do some metrics use a CMA or province?
National public datasets often publish city data by census metropolitan area, census agglomeration, province or territory. The geography is shown beside each metric.
How should I use the Lethbridge salary estimate?
Use it as a gross-income target, then run the income calculator with your province, city and real costs.

Sources and methodology

  • Population: Statistics Canada table 17-10-0148-01, latest annual estimate; Census Profile fallback when noted.
  • Crime Severity Index: Statistics Canada table 35-10-0026-01, latest published year.
  • Basic-needs budgets: MBM tables 11-10-0066-01 and 11-10-0104-01. Advertised rent: Quarterly Rent Statistics table 46-10-0092-01.
Sources and methodology
Calculation transparency

Data, sources, and assumptions

Results combine Canadian tax rules, city cost baselines, and market assumptions versioned with the site code.

Data synced
Jul 10, 2026
Federal/provincial tax
City cost baselines
Market rates and assumptions
Estimates do not replace tax, financial, or legal advice.
Sources and methodology
statcan_rent_34100133: ok 2025; statcan_gasoline_18100001: ok 2026-05; boc_valet_mortgage_5yr: ok 2026-07-08; tax_fallback_2026: ok 2026-01-03