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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $1,997 in Charlottetown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $2,949 in Charlottetown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $3,900 in Charlottetown.

Living in Calgary is roughly 17% more expensive than in Charlottetown, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Charlottetown 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$14.23 CA$19.91

24.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$61.7 CA$86.3

15.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$9.51 CA$13.30

14.09%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$3.63 CA$5.07

6.06%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$1.76 CA$2.46

10.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.38 CA$1.93

29.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$5.88 CA$8.23

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$5.62 CA$7.86

4.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$2.29 CA$3.20

-19.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$3.02 CA$4.22

-9.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.60

$4.89 CA$6.84

11.25%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$4.04 CA$5.65

-10.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$11.78 CA$16.48

-1.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$15.77 CA$22.05

-26.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.50

$17.73 CA$24.81

6.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$3.50 CA$4.89

41.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.45 CA$2.02

-2.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$4.04 CA$5.65

4.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$5.00 CA$6.99

-18.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$1.77 CA$2.48

44.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$3.08 CA$4.31

-8.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.73 CA$3.82

-5.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$2.06 CA$2.89

-24.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$17.68 CA$24.74

-17.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$14.27 CA$19.96

9.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$3.25 CA$4.55

-20.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$3.25 CA$4.54

-0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$1.47 CA$2.05

101.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$14.26 CA$19.95

538.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$7.56 CA$10.57

-58.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$2.12 CA$2.97

-34.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

$28.31 CA$39.61

-2.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.22 CA$1.70

2.46%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$28.4K CA$39.7K

-0.15%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$19.2K CA$26.9K

10.79%

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

$178 CA$249

$131 CA$183

35.58%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$32.80 CA$45.89

19.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$75.9 CA$106

-32.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.5

$60.4 CA$84.5

-9.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

$3.52 CA$4.93

433.24%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$10.89 CA$15.23

33.61%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$159 CA$222

410.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$39.84 CA$55.7

49.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$33.85 CA$47.35

19.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$85.3 CA$119

8.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$137 CA$191

-17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$1,122 CA$1,569

14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,424

$873 CA$1,221

16.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,766

$1,794 CA$2,510

10.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$1,374 CA$1,922

27.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$3,279 CA$4,586

8.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

$2,001 CA$2,799

67.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

$2,458 CA$3,439

30.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.58

-2.18%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Charlottetown: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $1,122 in Charlottetown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 31% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $62.0 in Charlottetown. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $422, 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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% 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 $1,122 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 $62.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,344 per month in Calgary versus $1,997 in Charlottetown – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,997 in Charlottetown versus $2,344 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 17% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.