Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Blacksburg, VA and Calgary

For one person, living costs are similar in Blacksburg, VA and in Calgary: $2,139 and $2,232 a month, rent and utilities included.

Blacksburg, VA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,139
/mo nomad
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,232
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Blacksburg, VA and in Calgary

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Blacksburg, VA and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,139 per month in Blacksburg, VA vs $2,232 in Calgary, rent included.

  • Blacksburg, VA $2,139
  • Calgary $2,232

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Blacksburg, VA vs $3,363 in Calgary, rent included.

  • Blacksburg, VA $3,219
  • Calgary $3,363

A family of three spends $4,299 per month in Blacksburg, VA vs $4,493 in Calgary, rent included.

  • Blacksburg, VA $4,299
  • Calgary $4,493

Blacksburg, VA is about 4% cheaper than Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Blacksburg, VA and Calgary sit above the global median – Blacksburg, VA by 60%, Calgary by 67%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Blacksburg, VA
Calgary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.23 $17.23
$17.22 CA$24.54
0.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.5 $64.5
$71.2 CA$101
-9.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.64 $8.64
$10.56 CA$15.06
-18.18%
Cappuccino
$5.02 $5.02
$3.77 CA$5.38
33.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 $2.48
$1.91 CA$2.73
29.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 $1.90
$1.84 CA$2.63
3.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.97 $5.97
$4.86 CA$6.93
22.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.82 $7.82
$5.55 CA$7.91
40.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Blacksburg, VA
Calgary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 $1.01
$1.88 CA$2.68
-46.28%
White Bread (500g)
$3.54 $3.54
$2.73 CA$3.89
29.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.20 $4.20
$5.34 CA$7.61
-21.35%
Eggs
$4.08 $4.08
$3.77 CA$5.37
8.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.49 $16.49
$11.29 CA$16.09
46.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.35 $11.35
$11.46 CA$16.34
-0.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.09 $7.09
$18.26 CA$26.03
-61.17%
Apples (1kg)
$4.06 $4.06
$4.64 CA$6.62
-12.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 $1.56
$1.44 CA$2.05
8.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$4.22 CA$6.02
-0.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.75 $4.75
$3.86 CA$5.50
23.06%
Potato (1kg)
$2.37 $2.37
$2.62 CA$3.74
-9.54%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 $2.17
$2.66 CA$3.79
-18.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 $1.96
$2.59 CA$3.69
-24.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.06 $2.06
$1.53 CA$2.19
34.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.74 $7.74
$14.26 CA$20.32
-45.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.05 $15.05
$15.27 CA$21.76
-1.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 $1.75
$2.41 CA$3.44
-27.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55 $4.55
$3.09 CA$4.41
47.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Blacksburg, VA
Calgary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.88 CA$4.11
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$88.7 CA$126
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.57 $4.57
$3.23 CA$4.61
41.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.10 $3.10
$1.38 CA$1.97
124.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.19 $12.19
$26.49 CA$37.75
-53.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.18 CA$1.68
-25.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.1K $25.1K
$28.3K CA$40.3K
-11.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K $23.9K
$20.7K CA$29.5K
15.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Blacksburg, VA
Calgary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 $151
$159 CA$227
-5.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.88 $32.88
$37.61 CA$53.6
-12.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$98.8 $98.8
$49.68 CA$70.8
98.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Blacksburg, VA
Calgary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.54 $39.54
$53.3 CA$75.9
-25.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.12 $10.12
$18.31 CA$26.10
-44.73%
Cinema Ticket
$13.01 $13.01
$14.08 CA$20.06
-7.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Blacksburg, VA
Calgary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$868 $868
$809 CA$1,154
7.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$52.9K $52.9K
$15.9K CA$22.6K
233.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Blacksburg, VA
Calgary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.53 $30.53
$58.8 CA$83.8
-48.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.09 $30.09
$38.84 CA$55.4
-22.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.5 $61.5
$91.4 CA$130
-32.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.6 $75.6
$109 CA$155
-30.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Blacksburg, VA
Calgary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,302 $1,302
$1,237 CA$1,764
5.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,068 $1,068
$996 CA$1,420
7.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,267 $2,267
$1,908 CA$2,720
18.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,969 $1,969
$1,671 CA$2,382
17.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,062 $2,062
$3,530 CA$5,032
-41.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,088 $2,088
$3,336 CA$4,755
-37.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Blacksburg, VA
Calgary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,127 $4,127
$3,130 CA$4,461
31.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.2
4.51
37.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Blacksburg, VA: October 4, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Blacksburg, VA
$1.1K
Calgary
$996 6.8% $72
Groceries & Markets
Blacksburg, VA
$368
Calgary
$387 5.2% $19
Eating Out
Blacksburg, VA
$287
Calgary
$265 7.6% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Blacksburg, VA
$283
Calgary
$247 12.9% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Blacksburg, VA
$89
Calgary
$134 50.7% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Blacksburg, VA
$66
Calgary
$81 24.2% $16
Getting Around
Blacksburg, VA
$20 *
Calgary
$110 451% $90

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,302 in Blacksburg, VA versus $1,237 in Calgary. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 32% higher in Blacksburg, VA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Blacksburg, VA versus $71.0 in Calgary. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $387 – making Blacksburg, VA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Blacksburg, VA
🇨🇦 Calgary
🕒 Local time
10:23 10:23 AM
08:23 8:23 AM
2 h behind Blacksburg, VA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
44,826
1,267,344
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Blacksburg, VA Calgary 3,050 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Blacksburg, VA
  • Calgary

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Blacksburg, VA vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Blacksburg, VA and in Calgary compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,139 in Blacksburg, VA, $2,232 in Calgary – roughly 4% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Blacksburg, VA compared to Calgary?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,209 per month in Blacksburg, VA and $3,349 in Calgary. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Blacksburg, VA and Calgary?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Blacksburg, VA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Blacksburg, VA or Calgary?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,139 in Blacksburg, VA and $2,232 in Calgary. That's a gap of about 4%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Blacksburg, VA and Calgary?
Kindergarten costs $868 per month in Blacksburg, VA and $809 in Calgary. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Blacksburg, VA, where all-in costs run around $2,139, than in Calgary at $2,232. In Blacksburg, VA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calgary it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Blacksburg, VA or Calgary?
Families tend to lean toward Blacksburg, VA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Blacksburg, VA and Calgary?
If budget matters most, go with Blacksburg, VA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Calgary makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Blacksburg, VA vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?