Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Campbell River Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Campbell River

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,420 in Campbell River.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $3,529 in Campbell River.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $4,637 in Campbell River.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 3% less than in Campbell River, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Campbell River 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.58

$18.04 CA$25.07

-2.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.0

$71.7 CA$99.6

-0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.08

$10.97 CA$15.25

-1.09%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.36

$4.25 CA$5.91

-9.41%

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

$1.95 CA$2.71

$2.41 CA$3.35

-19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.49

$0.99 CA$1.38

80.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.90

$5.87 CA$8.17

-15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.20

$6.46 CA$8.98

-8.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.56

$3.04 CA$4.22

-39.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.80

$3.11 CA$4.33

-12.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.56

$4.04 CA$5.62

34.65%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.04

$4.34 CA$6.03

-16.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.05

$8.50 CA$11.82

35.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.09

$9.68 CA$13.45

19.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.33

$14.98 CA$20.83

26.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.88

$3.27 CA$4.55

51.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.41 CA$1.96

0.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.87

$3.65 CA$5.08

15.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.68

$3.66 CA$5.09

11.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.55

$3.48 CA$4.83

-26.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.92

$2.87 CA$3.98

-1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$3.30 CA$4.58

-22.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$2.50 CA$3.47

-38.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.28

$15.33 CA$21.30

-4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.69

$18.34 CA$25.49

-14.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.59

$3.96 CA$5.50

-34.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.49

$3.56 CA$4.94

-9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.12

$1.48 CA$2.05

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.40

$2.83 CA$3.93

12.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.57 CA$2.18

-11.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.46

$34.18 CA$47.51

-19.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.74

$1.26 CA$1.76

-0.79%

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

$28.3K CA$39.4K

$28.9K CA$40.2K

-2.09%

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

$21.3K CA$29.6K

$18.4K CA$25.6K

15.53%

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

$178 CA$247

$54.6 CA$75.9

225.78%

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

$39.31 CA$54.6

$45.22 CA$62.9

-13.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$70.8

$63.6 CA$88.4

-19.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$46.06 CA$64.0

18.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.09

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.23

$10.89 CA$15.14

33.61%

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

$812 CA$1,128

$917 CA$1,275

-11.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$22.8K

$23.0K CA$32.0K

-28.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$82.6

$43.89 CA$61.0

35.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.1

$45.17 CA$62.8

-10.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$128

$73.5 CA$102

25.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$157

$90.6 CA$126

24.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,785

$1,482 CA$2,060

-13.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,415

$1,394 CA$1,938

-26.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,749

$2,190 CA$3,045

-9.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,428

$2,199 CA$3,057

-20.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,963

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,669

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,467

$2,299 CA$3,196

39.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.32

3.70%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Campbell River: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $1,482 in Campbell River. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $72.0 in Campbell River for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $395 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

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 Campbell River: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Calgary, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,284 in Calgary versus $1,482 in Campbell River. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $812 in Calgary versus $917 in Campbell River. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $72.0 in Campbell River. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,420 in Campbell River, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Campbell River. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Campbell River. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.