Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Bathurst, Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in Bathurst: $1,757 a month against $2,303 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calgary, Canada
Bathurst, Canada
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,303
/mo nomad
Bathurst
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,757
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Bathurst

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

A single person spends $2,303 per month in Calgary vs $1,757 in Bathurst, rent included.

  • Calgary $2,303
  • Bathurst $1,757

A couple spends around $3,366 per month in Calgary vs $2,044 in Bathurst, rent included.

  • Calgary $3,366
  • Bathurst $2,044

A family of three spends $4,428 per month in Calgary vs $2,332 in Bathurst, rent included.

  • Calgary $4,428
  • Bathurst $2,332

Calgary costs about 31% more than Bathurst, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Calgary and Bathurst sit above the global median – Calgary by 69%, Bathurst by 29%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Bathurst
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.55 CA$24.66
$15.96 CA$22.43
9.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.4 CA$98.9
$43.54 CA$61.2
61.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.69 CA$15.02
$11.73 CA$16.48
-8.87%
Cappuccino
$3.89 CA$5.46
$3.48 CA$4.89
11.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 CA$2.86
$2.01 CA$2.83
1.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 CA$2.64
$1.59 CA$2.23
18.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.90 CA$6.88
$4.96 CA$6.97
-1.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.78 CA$8.12
$5.08 CA$7.14
13.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Bathurst
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 CA$2.76
$1.72 CA$2.41
13.95%
White Bread (500g)
$2.74 CA$3.85
$2.54 CA$3.56
7.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.46 CA$7.68
$2.52 CA$3.55
116.67%
Eggs
$3.69 CA$5.18
$3.56 CA$5.00
3.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.24 CA$15.80
$11.30 CA$15.88
-0.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.54 CA$16.21
$9.14 CA$12.84
26.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.38 CA$25.82
$6.35 CA$8.92
189.45%
Apples (1kg)
$4.90 CA$6.89
$4.66 CA$6.55
5.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 CA$2.00
$1.59 CA$2.24
-10.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.92
$4.78 CA$6.72
-11.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.02 CA$5.65
$1.91 CA$2.69
110.47%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 CA$3.79
$2.51 CA$3.52
7.17%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 CA$3.74
$1.55 CA$2.18
71.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.61 CA$3.67
$2.20 CA$3.09
18.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 CA$2.24
$1.58 CA$2.22
1.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.00 CA$19.67
$9.79 CA$13.76
43.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.40 CA$21.64
$11.93 CA$16.76
29.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 CA$3.51
$3.19 CA$4.48
-21.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.34
$4.45 CA$6.25
-30.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Bathurst
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.93 CA$4.12
$3.47 CA$4.87
-15.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.3 CA$125
$65.3 CA$91.7
36.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.27 CA$4.59
$2.77 CA$3.89
18.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 CA$1.90
$1.33 CA$1.87
1.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.39 CA$38.48
$21.83 CA$30.67
25.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 CA$1.65
$1.24 CA$1.74
-5.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.3K
$28.8K CA$40.5K
-3.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.0K CA$29.6K
$21.5K CA$30.2K
-2.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Bathurst
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 CA$234
$104 CA$147
59.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.27 CA$53.8
$70.1 CA$98.4
-45.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.9 CA$71.6
$60.9 CA$85.5
-16.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Bathurst
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 CA$71.6
$44.27 CA$62.2
15.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.17 CA$25.53
$32.39 CA$45.51
-43.90%
Cinema Ticket
$14.44 CA$20.29
$9.14 CA$12.85
57.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Bathurst
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$545 CA$766
$582 CA$818
-6.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K CA$22.8K
$1,741 CA$2,447
830.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Bathurst
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 CA$82.7
$50.5 CA$71.0
16.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.75 CA$55.9
$39.90 CA$56.1
-0.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$131
$77.3 CA$109
20.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$81.4 CA$114
35.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Bathurst
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,254 CA$1,762
$749 CA$1,053
67.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,056 CA$1,484
$690 CA$970
53.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,022 CA$2,841
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,629 CA$2,288
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,600 CA$5,059
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,243 CA$4,556
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Bathurst
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,115 CA$4,377
$2,083 CA$2,926
49.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
4.77
-5.45%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bathurst: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$1.1K
Bathurst
$690 34.6% $366
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$393
Bathurst
$314 20% $78
Eating Out
Calgary
$271
Bathurst
$254 6.2% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$256
Bathurst
$235 8.1% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$136
Bathurst
$112 17.5% $24
Getting Around
Calgary
$111
Bathurst
$89 20.2% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$80
Bathurst
$63 21.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,254 in Calgary versus $749 in Bathurst. 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 50% higher in Calgary. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Calgary versus $44 in Bathurst. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $314 – making Bathurst the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇨🇦 Bathurst
🕒 Local time
12:39 12:39 PM
15:39 3:39 PM
3 h ahead of Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
12,157
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.712 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.639 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary Bathurst 3,460 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • Bathurst

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
Calgary vs Bathurst: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bathurst cheaper than Calgary?
Yes – Calgary is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,454 per month in Calgary and $2,636 in Bathurst. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bathurst, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $749 there versus $1,254 in Calgary.
What are total monthly expenses in Calgary and in Bathurst?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,303 in Calgary and $1,757 in Bathurst. That’s a gap of about 31%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 27% less in Bathurst. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bathurst. 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.

Calgary vs other spots: cost of living compared

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