Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Chilliwack Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Chilliwack

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,163 in Chilliwack.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,224 in Chilliwack.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,285 in Chilliwack.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Chilliwack 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.74

$14.80 CA$20.49

25.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.0

$74.5 CA$103

-6.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.17

$9.82 CA$13.59

11.61%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.17

$3.99 CA$5.52

-6.52%

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

$1.99 CA$2.75

$2.19 CA$3.03

-9.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.76 CA$2.44

-2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.94

$5.87 CA$8.13

-14.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.01

$4.34 CA$6.00

49.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.10 CA$2.91

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.69

$2.81 CA$3.88

-4.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$2.55 CA$3.53

27.84%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.64

$3.80 CA$5.26

-11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.07

$12.81 CA$17.74

13.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.93

$11.81 CA$16.35

9.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.36

$13.24 CA$18.34

21.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$5.98

$4.26 CA$5.89

1.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.33 CA$1.84

1.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.30

$4.04 CA$5.59

-5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.79

$5.11 CA$7.08

-18.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.67

$4.29 CA$5.94

-38.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$3.06 CA$4.24

-10.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$2.74 CA$3.79

0.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$1.83 CA$2.54

6.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.74

$15.62 CA$21.63

-4.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.31

$13.10 CA$18.14

11.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$3.13 CA$4.34

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.56

$3.79 CA$5.24

6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$1.98 CA$2.74

41.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$119

$35.10 CA$48.60

145.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$4.99

$2.99 CA$4.14

20.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$2.26 CA$3.13

-41.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.17

$26.15 CA$36.21

10.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.55

$1.29 CA$1.79

-13.18%

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

$24.9K CA$34.4K

$25.0K CA$34.6K

-0.64%

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

$22.0K CA$30.4K

$20.1K CA$27.8K

9.33%

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

$217 CA$301

$119 CA$165

82.47%

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

$41.55 CA$57.5

$45.90 CA$63.6

-9.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.4

$61.6 CA$85.3

-5.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$75.8

$39.33 CA$54.5

39.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.1

$18.30 CA$25.34

188.63%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.68

$12.00 CA$16.62

6.42%

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

$874 CA$1,210

$547 CA$758

59.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$17.8K CA$24.6K

-10.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.5

$60.6 CA$84.0

-2.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.4

$36.38 CA$50.4

27.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$96.5 CA$134

-9.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$116 CA$161

-6.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,957

$1,165 CA$1,613

21.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,623

$1,092 CA$1,512

7.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,211

$1,914 CA$2,651

21.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,612

$1,718 CA$2,378

9.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,389

$3,354 CA$4,644

16.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,851

$3,279 CA$4,540

6.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,360

$3,222 CA$4,461

-2.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.65

1.06%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chilliwack: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,165 in Chilliwack. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chilliwack pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $75.0 in Chilliwack. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $384, with Chilliwack 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 Chilliwack: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chilliwack is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chilliwack earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,165 in Chilliwack. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chilliwack – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,163 in Chilliwack – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,163 in Chilliwack versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilliwack but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Chilliwack 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 Chilliwack 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.