The living wage in Edmonton is over $7 higher than the minimum wage
After falling last year, Edmonton’s living wage is on the rise and is now more than $7 above the provincial minimum wage.
The 2025 Living Wage report, released today by the Alberta Living Wage Network, calculates Edmonton’s living wage at $22.30 per hour — a $1.45 increase over last year.
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Last year, programs like $10-a-day childcare, capped electricity rates, and lower clothing costs helped ease financial pressure for many Edmontonians. But this year, higher costs for child care, shelter, and transportation pushed living wage rates up across much of Alberta.
The report found more than half of Alberta communities are worse off under the province’s new flat parent fee system for toddlers.
In April 2025, the province replaced its previous childcare subsidy with a flat parent fee of $326.25 per month, plus optional extras. The old system provided families earning under $120,000 with up to $892 per month in grants and subsidies.
Transportation costs also climbed in Alberta this year, driven by higher vehicle insurance premiums, steeper financing rates, increased mileage, and more city driving caused by population growth and traffic congestion, the report found.
Rising rent prices also contributed to higher living wages across the province. While Edmonton’s rental prices have recently declined, the report noted that if St. Albert had the same average rental rates as last year, their living wage rate would be nearly $2 lower than it is today.
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A living wage is defined as the hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover their basic expenses and maintain a modest standard of living after adding government transfers and subtracting taxes.
The calculation considers three household types: a two-parent family with two children, a one-parent family with one child, and a single person working full-time.
Alberta’s living wage varies, ranging as high as $31.80 in Jasper down to $18.15 per hour in Medicine Hat.
The minimum wage in Alberta is $15 per hour, the lowest in Canada and one that’s remained unchanged since 2018.
The full living wage report can be found online.