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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,517 per month in Calgary vs $2,332 in Burns Lake, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,646 per month in Calgary vs $3,377 in Burns Lake, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,776 per month in Calgary vs $4,423 in Burns Lake, rent included.

Calgary costs about 8% more than Burns Lake, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calgary and Burns Lake sit above the global median – Calgary by 87%, Burns Lake by 74%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.37 CA$25.65

$17.18 CA$23.99

6.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 CA$97.4

$69.2 CA$96.7

0.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.19

$10.82 CA$15.11

0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.16

$3.67 CA$5.12

0.54%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$2.03 CA$2.83

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.43

$1.63 CA$2.28

6.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.40

$5.63 CA$7.86

-5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.42

$5.73 CA$8.00

17.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$2.14 CA$2.98

4.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.75

$2.71 CA$3.79

-1.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.68

$3.49 CA$4.87

-4.01%

Eggs

$3.33 CA$4.65

$3.40 CA$4.75

-2.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 CA$20.12

$11.23 CA$15.68

28.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 CA$17.46

$11.94 CA$16.67

4.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 CA$22.81

$14.47 CA$20.21

12.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.98

$3.97 CA$5.55

7.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.41 CA$1.96

-4.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.22

$3.72 CA$5.19

0.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.83

$3.73 CA$5.21

11.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.43 CA$3.40

5.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$2.49 CA$3.48

7.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.71

$2.60 CA$3.62

2.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.79 CA$2.51

5.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.47

$14.20 CA$19.83

3.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.87

$12.93 CA$18.06

10.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$2.94 CA$4.11

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 CA$5.44

$3.14 CA$4.38

23.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 CA$3.79

$2.33 CA$3.26

16.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$122

$64.0 CA$89.4

37.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 CA$4.83

$3.24 CA$4.52

6.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.43 CA$1.99

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.30 CA$39.52

$26.23 CA$36.63

7.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.13 CA$1.58

-3.54%

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

$25.0K CA$34.9K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

-1.16%

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

$22.2K CA$31.0K

$20.5K CA$28.6K

8.44%

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

$211 CA$295

$143 CA$200

47.38%

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

$40.40 CA$56.4

$43.46 CA$60.7

-7.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CA$81.7

$63.3 CA$88.4

-7.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 CA$75.1

$42.43 CA$59.3

26.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.2

$36.65 CA$51.2

46.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 CA$17.66

$11.46 CA$16.01

10.30%

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

$865 CA$1,208

$748 CA$1,045

15.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.4K

$11.7K CA$16.4K

36.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$81.1

$53.5 CA$74.7

8.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.18 CA$65.9

$39.56 CA$55.3

19.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 CA$119

$87.7 CA$123

-2.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$107 CA$149

-0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 CA$1,977

$1,308 CA$1,826

8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 CA$1,611

$1,178 CA$1,645

-2.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,370 CA$3,309

$1,981 CA$2,767

19.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 CA$2,603

$1,812 CA$2,531

2.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,834 CA$5,354

$4,763 CA$6,651

-19.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,443 CA$4,808

$4,224 CA$5,899

-18.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,105 CA$4,337

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.46

-11.61%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 7, 2026

Last update for Burns Lake: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,416 in Calgary versus $1,308 in Burns Lake. 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 $70.0 in Calgary versus $69.0 in Burns Lake. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $366 – 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

Calgary vs Burns Lake: 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 $3,775 per month in Calgary and $3,498 in Burns Lake. 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 8% 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 $70.0 in Calgary and $69.0 in Burns Lake. 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 $2,332, than in Calgary at $2,517. 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.