Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Charlottetown Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Charlottetown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,481 in Calgary versus $2,024 in Charlottetown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,599 in Calgary versus $3,001 in Charlottetown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Calgary versus $3,978 in Charlottetown.

Living in Calgary is roughly 23% more expensive than in Charlottetown, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 86% above, Charlottetown 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 CA$26.12

$14.69 CA$20.59

26.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$98.5

$60.7 CA$85.0

15.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.26 CA$15.78

$8.91 CA$12.49

26.37%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.77 CA$5.28

-1.86%

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

$2.05 CA$2.88

$1.74 CA$2.44

17.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$1.33 CA$1.87

25.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.37

$5.76 CA$8.07

-8.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.44

$5.87 CA$8.23

14.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$2.03 CA$2.85

9.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.86

$2.89 CA$4.04

-4.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.60

$4.24 CA$5.94

-22.64%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.77

$4.01 CA$5.63

-15.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 CA$20.25

$12.38 CA$17.35

16.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.58 CA$17.63

$14.32 CA$20.06

-12.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.85 CA$22.20

$16.25 CA$22.77

-2.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.19

$3.90 CA$5.46

13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.63 CA$2.28

-17.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.38

$3.87 CA$5.42

-0.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.07

$5.40 CA$7.57

-19.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$2.08 CA$2.91

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$2.21 CA$3.10

23.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$2.79 CA$3.91

-3.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.66

$1.88 CA$2.63

1.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.75

$18.17 CA$25.47

-18.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 CA$20.22

$13.73 CA$19.24

5.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$3.35 CA$4.70

-12.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$3.22 CA$4.52

23.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.79

$1.48 CA$2.08

82.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 CA$124

$14.69 CA$20.58

501.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.80

$7.75 CA$10.86

-55.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$2.05 CA$2.87

-36.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.41 CA$39.82

$29.15 CA$40.85

-2.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.19 CA$1.67

-5.88%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

0.12%

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

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$21.1K CA$29.6K

2.92%

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

$210 CA$295

$134 CA$187

57.41%

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

$41.33 CA$57.9

$38.13 CA$53.4

8.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$81.1

$83.2 CA$117

-30.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 CA$77.5

$56.7 CA$79.5

-2.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.2 CA$73.2

$14.61 CA$20.47

257.56%

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.47

$10.82 CA$15.17

15.25%

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

$886 CA$1,242

$167 CA$235

429.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$11.9K CA$16.7K

33.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$82.8

$41.41 CA$58.0

42.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.08 CA$66.0

$35.12 CA$49.22

34.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 CA$122

$86.2 CA$121

1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$136 CA$190

-19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 CA$1,982

$1,117 CA$1,566

26.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 CA$1,654

$877 CA$1,229

34.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 CA$3,327

$1,728 CA$2,421

37.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CA$2,599

$1,407 CA$1,971

31.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,755 CA$5,262

$3,232 CA$4,529

16.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,479 CA$4,875

$1,940 CA$2,718

79.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,035 CA$4,253

$2,460 CA$3,447

23.37%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Charlottetown: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,415 in Calgary and $1,117 in Charlottetown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $61.0 in Charlottetown. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $407, with Calgary cheaper for home cooking.

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 Charlottetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Charlottetown is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 23% 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: $1,415 in Calgary versus $1,117 in Charlottetown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Charlottetown – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,481 per month in Calgary versus $2,024 in Charlottetown – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,024 in Charlottetown versus $2,481 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Charlottetown but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Charlottetown 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 Charlottetown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.