Cost of Living Comparison Between Burns Lake and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Burns Lake and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,302 per month in Burns Lake vs $2,481 in Calgary, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,421 per month in Burns Lake vs $3,599 in Calgary, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,539 per month in Burns Lake vs $4,716 in Calgary, rent included.

Burns Lake is about 7% cheaper than Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Burns Lake and Calgary sit above the global median – Burns Lake by 73%, Calgary by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.72 CA$23.47

$18.64 CA$26.16

-10.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 CA$96.4

$70.3 CA$98.7

-2.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.64

$11.26 CA$15.80

-0.98%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.37

$3.70 CA$5.19

3.51%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 CA$2.91

$2.05 CA$2.88

0.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$1.67 CA$2.34

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.69 CA$7.98

$5.26 CA$7.38

8.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.23

$6.74 CA$9.45

-13.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.08

$2.23 CA$3.13

-1.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$2.75 CA$3.86

-0.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.09

$3.28 CA$4.60

10.37%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.97

$3.40 CA$4.78

4.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 CA$15.80

$14.45 CA$20.28

-22.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.77 CA$16.52

$12.58 CA$17.66

-6.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 CA$20.75

$15.85 CA$22.24

-6.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.66

$4.42 CA$6.20

-8.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.34 CA$1.88

1.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.24

$3.84 CA$5.39

-2.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.22

$4.33 CA$6.08

-14.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.54

$2.54 CA$3.57

-0.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.49

$2.73 CA$3.84

-9.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.55

$2.69 CA$3.78

-5.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.43

$1.90 CA$2.67

-8.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 CA$19.87

$14.81 CA$20.79

-4.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 CA$16.38

$14.43 CA$20.25

-19.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 CA$3.97

$2.94 CA$4.12

-3.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.24

$3.98 CA$5.59

-24.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.37

$2.70 CA$3.79

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 CA$87.5

$88.3 CA$124

-29.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$3.42 CA$4.81

-8.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.11

$1.31 CA$1.84

14.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.73 CA$36.12

$28.41 CA$39.88

-9.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.12 CA$1.58

-0.89%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$24.9K CA$35.0K

2.26%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.0K CA$29.4K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

-3.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$145 CA$203

$210 CA$295

-31.23%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$43.12 CA$60.5

$41.33 CA$58.0

4.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 CA$88.5

$57.8 CA$81.2

8.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.62 CA$58.4

$55.3 CA$77.7

-24.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.23 CA$50.9

$52.2 CA$73.3

-30.65%

Cinema Ticket

$11.30 CA$15.86

$12.47 CA$17.50

-9.38%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$734 CA$1,030

$886 CA$1,244

-17.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$15.9K CA$22.4K

-25.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 CA$75.6

$59.1 CA$82.9

-8.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 CA$55.7

$47.08 CA$66.1

-15.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 CA$120

$87.1 CA$122

-1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$153

$110 CA$154

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 CA$1,810

$1,415 CA$1,986

-8.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,657

$1,180 CA$1,657

0.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 CA$2,838

$2,374 CA$3,332

-14.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 CA$2,514

$1,855 CA$2,603

-3.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,727 CA$5,231

$3,755 CA$5,271

-0.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,124 CA$4,385

$3,479 CA$4,883

-10.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,035 CA$4,260

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.71

13.13%

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

Last update for Burns Lake: July 26, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,290 in Burns Lake versus $1,415 in Calgary. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Burns Lake versus $70.0 in Calgary. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $396 – making Burns Lake the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Burns Lake vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary costs about 8% more than Burns Lake, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,453 per month in Burns Lake and $3,722 in Calgary. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Burns Lake, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Calgary, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Burns Lake and $70.0 in Calgary. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Burns Lake, where all-in costs run around $2,302, than in Calgary at $2,481. In Burns Lake it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calgary it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Burns Lake – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Burns Lake. 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.