What's typically included in Calgary rent?

It varies. Most purpose-built apartment buildings in Calgary include heat and water, but not electricity or internet. Condos are more mixed: some include water and possibly one utility as part of the condo fee that the landlord absorbs, while others include nothing. Basement suites are almost always all-inclusive because it is impossible to sub-meter them cleanly. Always ask which utilities are included and get it in writing on the lease.

Alberta has no rent control, so what does that mean for me?

Landlords can raise rent at renewal by any amount they choose, as long as they give three months' written notice and at least twelve months have passed since the last increase on the same tenant. In practice, most Calgary landlords aim for market-rate increases (typically 3 to 8 percent) because tenants who feel gouged tend to move at the next opportunity, and a two-month vacancy costs the landlord more than a modest renewal increase.

How does a security deposit work in Alberta?

Maximum is one month's rent. Alberta law requires the landlord to hold your deposit in an interest-bearing trust account and pay you interest at the government-set rate (visit alberta.ca for the current rate). At move-out, the landlord has ten days to return the deposit or provide an itemized statement of deductions, backed by the written move-in and move-out inspection reports. Skip the written inspection at move-in and you make it very hard for the landlord to lawfully deduct for damage later.

What about basement suites in Calgary?

Calgary has aggressively legalized secondary suites in recent years. As of the 2023 Land Use Bylaw amendments, most low-density residential zones now allow one legal secondary suite per lot subject to safety code (egress, ceiling height, smoke and CO alarms, separate entrance). Ask any prospective landlord if the suite is registered with the City of Calgary. An unregistered suite is not necessarily illegal, but it complicates insurance and RTDRS proceedings if something goes wrong.

How do I dispute my landlord at RTDRS?

The Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service is Alberta's fast-track alternative to court. Filing fee is $75, decisions typically issued in weeks rather than months. Most common applications: security deposit disputes, unpaid rent, breach of lease. Bring your written lease, all correspondence, the move-in and move-out inspection reports, and photos. RTDRS decisions are binding and enforceable through the Court of King's Bench.

Can my landlord enter without notice?

No, with narrow exceptions. Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act requires 24 hours' written notice for reasonable purposes (repairs, showings to prospective tenants or buyers, inspections). Emergencies (burst pipe, gas leak, fire alarm) are an exception. Notice must be delivered in writing (email counts if you have that in the lease as a delivery method). Repeated no-notice entries are a breach of the tenancy and grounds for an RTDRS application.

What if my landlord wants to sell?

A sale does not end your tenancy. The new owner steps into the same lease with the same terms. If you're on a fixed-term lease, it runs to its end date under the new owner. If you're on a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy, the new owner can serve three months' written notice to end it for their own use or an immediate family member's use. During the sale process, the current landlord needs 24 hours' notice to show the unit, same as any other entry.

Calgary, Alberta Canada

Living and Renting in Calgary in 2026

Real rents, real neighborhoods, real answers. The complete SQRFT guide, written by Francis for renters and landlords who want the truth about Calgary's rental market in the year the vacancy story flipped.

Browse Calgary rentals List your Calgary property free

Avg 1BR asking

$1,600

Zumper, June 2026

Avg 2BR asking

$1,924

Zumper, June 2026

Vacancy rate

5.0%

CMHC, October 2025

YoY change

-4%

Zumper, June 2026

FFrancis, SQRFT TeamCanadian Rental Market Analyst, based in Calgary Updated July 2, 2026 12 min read

Section 1

What Calgary rents look like in mid-2026

Calgary's rental market flipped in 2025. After two years of extreme tightness (CMHC clocked purpose-built vacancy at 1.4 percent in 2023), record new supply pushed vacancy sharply higher by the CMHC October 2025 survey. The city delivered roughly 7,000 purpose-built rental units in 2024, about 165 percent above the historical annual average. Purpose-built rental supply grew a further 11 percent in 2025, the fastest pace in decades.

5.0%

Purpose-built vacancy, up from 1.4% in 2023

CMHC · Oct 2025

5.7%

Projected vacancy for full-year 2026

CMHC · 2026 forecast

7,000

New purpose-built rental units delivered

CMHC · 2024 completions

On asking rents (what you see on a new listing today), Zumper's June 2026 Calgary rent research puts the citywide average at $1,795, down 1 percent month over month and 4 percent year over year. That is the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year asking-rent declines for the metro. For a fuller monthly breakdown, we publish the Calgary Rent Report on the last business day of each month.

$1,600

Average 1-bedroom asking rent

Zumper · Jun 2026

$1,924

Average 2-bedroom asking rent

Zumper · Jun 2026

-4% YoY

Citywide asking rent change

Zumper · Jun 2026

The practical read

Tenants signing a new lease in the second half of 2026 have real negotiating power for the first time in years. Landlords holding out for asking-price renewals risk extended vacancies. Move-in incentives (one month free, waived deposit, gift cards) have become standard practice among institutional operators of new purpose-built properties in the Beltline, East Village, and inner-quadrant redevelopments.

Section 2

Where Calgarians rent: the quadrant guide

Calgary is officially divided into four quadrants (NW, NE, SW, SE), separated by Centre Street north-south and the Bow River east-west. Each quadrant has a distinct rental character.

Northwest (NW)

Established communities with mature trees (Hillhurst, Sunnyside, Kensington, Bowness, Varsity), close to UofC and Foothills Hospital.

Southwest (SW)

Range from inner-city premium (Mission, Marda Loop, Bankview) to sprawling suburbs (Signal Hill, Silverado, Bridlewood). Mount Royal University sits here.

Southeast (SE)

Newer master-planned communities (Cranston, Auburn Bay, Mahogany, McKenzie Towne, Seton), typically the most affordable per bedroom.

Northeast (NE)

Diverse, walkable in parts, home to some of Calgary's most affordable rentals (Falconridge, Marlborough, Whitehorn, Saddle Ridge). Close to airport.

SQRFT covers 232 Calgary neighborhoods across these four quadrants plus the inner Centre. Browse them from the rentals index to filter by area.

Section 3

Calgary schools and school catchments

Where you live decides which public schools your kids can attend. This is one of the biggest reasons people move within Calgary.

The two public boards

Calgary Board of Education

~130,000 students · ~250 schools

CBE

The larger of the two public boards. Runs designated (catchment) schools plus alternative and language programs (French immersion, Spanish, Mandarin, Indigenous language) that draw from broader zones.

Calgary Catholic School District

~60,000 students · ~115 schools

CSSD

Serves families who want a Catholic education. Priority to Catholic families in designated catchments; open to others where space allows.

How to find a school for your address

1
Use the board school locator first.Enter the address on the CBE or CSSD site and it returns the designated school for each grade level.
2
Check whether the school is capped.Popular schools in growing SE and NW communities regularly close to non-designated students. The locator will flag it.
3
Look up program options.If you want French immersion, Spanish bilingual, Mandarin bilingual, or an Indigenous language program, ask the school directly whether transportation is provided from your address.
4
Confirm before you sign the lease.Rentals get snapped up quickly and school-driven address decisions do not have a rewind button.

Public vs Catholic vs private vs charter

•
Public (CBE):free, catchment-based, largest range of programs, biggest option pool.
•
Catholic (CSSD):free, catchment-based, priority for baptized Catholic families with some open enrolment for others.
•
Private schools:tuition typically $10,000 to $30,000+ per year. Notable Calgary examples include Rundle College, Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, Webber Academy, West Island College, Calgary French & International School, and Bearspaw Christian.
•
Charter schools:public tuition (free) but not run by CBE or CSSD. Alberta is the only province in Canada with charter schools. Examples: Foundations for the Future, Westmount, Almadina, New Horizons.
•
French first-language (Conseil scolaire FrancoSud):free, for families with French as a first language or where French language rights apply.

We are building a full Calgary school catchment guide with an address-by-address walkthrough as part of the SQRFT guide library.

Section 4

Calgary universities and post-secondary

Where students live in Calgary is a defining feature of certain neighborhoods. Landlords near these campuses see distinct summer-vs-fall demand cycles.

University of Calgary

Northwest quadrant · UCalgary

~35,000

Students concentrate in Brentwood, University Heights, Varsity, Charleswood, and Point McKay, all within walking or short-transit distance of campus.

Mount Royal University

Southwest · MRU

~15,000

Sits in the southwest near Lincoln Park. MRU students often live in West Springs, Lakeview, or in Lincoln Park itself.

SAIT Polytechnic

Inner northwest · SAIT

~15,000

Just off 16 Avenue. Students concentrate in Sunnyside, Hillhurst, Capitol Hill, and Tuxedo Park, all walkable or a short CTrain ride to campus.

Bow Valley College

Downtown East Village

~15,000

Students tend to live in Beltline, Downtown, Bridgeland, or Inglewood, all within walking or a short transit ride.

Ambrose University

Southwest

~1,000

Smaller Christian liberal arts university in the southwest quadrant with a compact residential campus.

Timing tip

Rentals near any of these campuses typically hit peak demand in July and August as students sign leases for the fall semester. If you are a landlord targeting students, list early. If you are a student looking for the best selection, start hunting in early July.

Section 5

Getting around Calgary

Calgary is car-centric in most quadrants but has a genuinely functional light-rail system in the core and inner suburbs.

The essentials

•
CTrain Red Line:runs north-south from Tuscany to Somerset-Bridlewood via the downtown core.
•
CTrain Blue Line:runs east-west from Saddletowne to 69 Street via downtown.
•
Free downtown fare zone:ride 7 Avenue between City Hall and Downtown West without paying.
•
+15 Skywalk:enclosed elevated pedestrian bridges connect over 100 downtown buildings. Genuine winter amenity.
•
Green Line (under construction):Calgary's third CTrain line, running north-south through the east side, initial phase opening expected 2028. Ogden, Highland Park, and Country Hills are already seeing anticipatory rental interest.
•
Calgary Transit runs it all.One monthly pass covers bus + CTrain, transfers included. Visit calgarytransit.com for the trip planner and current fares.

Car-optional zones

If you value a car-optional lifestyle, look at Beltline, Bridgeland, Kensington, Sunnyside, Mission, downtown Chinatown, Inglewood, and the inner NW between the two CTrain lines. Everywhere else in Calgary, plan on a car.

Section 6

What it costs to live in Calgary in 2026

Rent is the biggest line, but not the only one. Here's how Calgary's fixed costs stack against the rest of Canada.

Where Calgary wins

•
Lowest provincial income tax in Canada.Alberta's top provincial rate is 15 percent, versus 20.5 percent in BC and 13.16 percent in Ontario at the same bracket.
•
No provincial sales tax.You pay 5 percent GST only. In BC add 7 percent PST, in Ontario add 8 percent (13 percent HST total).
•
Rents softening.Asking rents down 4 percent YoY as of June 2026 (see Section 1).

Where Calgary is expensive

•
Auto insurance.Alberta's private auto insurance runs materially higher than the ICBC public system in BC or SAAQ in Quebec.
•
Groceries and gasoline.Typically slightly above the national average, especially outside the summer months.
•
Winter utilities.Electricity plus natural gas run $150 to $250 a month for a typical two-bedroom apartment through the coldest winter months. Roughly half of that in summer.

For live monthly cost-of-living data, Statistics Canada's Consumer Price Index release publishes the Calgary CMA component broken down by category (food, transportation, shelter, recreation, and more).

Section 7

Calgary events, culture, and why people love it here

The last section before we get to the practical answers. If you're deciding whether to move to Calgary in the first place, this is what tips the scale.

Calgary hosts the Calgary Stampede every July, ten days of rodeo, concerts, chuckwagon racing, and the biggest civic party in Canada. The Stampede pulls over a million visitors, and downtown apartments booked for the two Stampede weekends can command premium short-term rents. If you are renting near the Stampede grounds (Beltline, Ramsay, Inglewood), expect noise and traffic and plan around it.

Major annual events

Calgary Stampede

Early to mid July

Ten days of rodeo, concerts, chuckwagons, and the biggest civic party in Canada. Pulls over a million visitors.

Calgary Folk Music Festival

Late July

Four-day outdoor festival at Prince's Island Park with a longstanding indie and roots lineup.

Sled Island

Late June

Multi-venue music and arts festival across downtown, curated by rotating guest artists each year.

GlobalFest

August

International fireworks competition at Elliston Park paired with a multicultural food and performance program.

Beakerhead

September

A signature Calgary weekend blending art, science, and engineering across public installations.

Calgary International Film Festival

September

Canada's fourth-largest film festival, running for over two decades with a strong Canadian and international slate.

Winter, done Calgary style

Winter culture leans into what the geography offers. Skiing at Lake Louise, Sunshine, and Norquay is 90 minutes west in Banff, and Kananaskis Country's Nakiska is under an hour away. The chinook winds famously flip Calgary temperatures 20 degrees Celsius in a matter of hours, and locals plan winter trips around them.

333

Sunny days per year, more than any other major Canadian city

Environment Canada climate normals 1991-2020

-13°C

January average low temperature

23°C

July average high temperature

Where Calgarians eat and drink

Restaurant scenes cluster in four distinct pockets: 17 Avenue SW (the "Red Mile" running through the Beltline), Kensington on the north side of the Bow River, Inglewood along 9 Avenue SE (Calgary's oldest neighborhood, now with the strongest indie restaurant density), and 4 Street SW in Mission.

Calgary's professional sports

Calgary Flames

NHL

Play at the Scotiabank Saddledome. A new event centre is under construction as of 2026.

Calgary Stampeders

CFL

Canadian Football League team at McMahon Stadium in the northwest quadrant.

Calgary Wranglers

AHL

The Flames' minor-league affiliate, also playing at the Saddledome.

Cavalry FC

CPL

Canadian Premier League soccer at ATCO Field in Spruce Meadows south of the city.

Calgary Roughnecks

NLL

National Lacrosse League team playing at the Saddledome through winter and spring.

Section 8

Calgary's satellite cities

Depending on where you work and how you feel about commuting, the satellite belt is worth a look. Each community has a distinct character and a different rental-price profile.

Airdrie

QE II Highway

30 min N

The largest satellite, growing fast, and popular with commuters who work in the northeast quadrant or airport-area employers.

Cochrane

Western foothills

30 min NW

Attracts renters who want a smaller-town feel and easy access to Kananaskis Country and Banff National Park.

Okotoks

Highway 2A

30 min S

Long-standing family-oriented profile, established downtown, and one of Alberta's larger satellite towns.

Chestermere

Lake community

20 min E

Calgary's closest satellite by drive time. Grown quickly, with strong summer lake-lifestyle appeal.

Canmore

Bow Valley, Rockies

90 min W

A resort market, not a commuter one. Rentals compete with short-term tourist accommodation, so vacancy is tight and rents are high for the region.

High River

Foothills

45 min S

Smaller and more affordable for renters willing to accept a longer commute. Distinct character from the northern satellites.

Section 9

Renting in Calgary: Alberta tenancy law essentials

These rules apply to every Calgary rental. Bookmark this section.

The old rule of thumb is 30 percent of gross monthly income on housing (rent plus utilities). On a Calgary median household income of about $114,000 pre-tax (Statistics Canada, 2021 Census), that works out to roughly $2,850 a month. A more conservative rule, especially given higher grocery, gasoline, and insurance costs in 2026, is 25 percent, which lands closer to $2,375 for the same household. If you have student loans, a car payment, or you're saving aggressively for a down payment, the lower number is the safer target.

Try the free rent affordability calculator →

Section 10

Live Calgary rentals on SQRFT

Browse listings across Calgary neighborhoods. All listings verified. Free to list.

Browse Calgary listings List your Calgary property free

Sources

Living and Renting in Calgary in 2026

What Calgary rents look like in mid-2026

Where Calgarians rent: the quadrant guide

Calgary schools and school catchments

The two public boards

How to find a school for your address

Public vs Catholic vs private vs charter

Calgary universities and post-secondary

Getting around Calgary

The essentials

What it costs to live in Calgary in 2026

Where Calgary wins

Where Calgary is expensive

Calgary events, culture, and why people love it here

Major annual events

Winter, done Calgary style

Where Calgarians eat and drink

Calgary's professional sports

Calgary's satellite cities

Renting in Calgary: Alberta tenancy law essentials

Live Calgary rentals on SQRFT

Related SQRFT content

Where these numbers come from