Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Courtenay Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Courtenay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,149 in Courtenay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,072 in Courtenay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $3,995 in Courtenay.

Living in Calgary is roughly 17% more expensive than Courtenay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Courtenay 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.83

$12.65 CA$17.57

46.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.3

$58.0 CA$80.6

20.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.22

$9.52 CA$13.23

15.13%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$4.10 CA$5.70

-9.02%

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

$1.99 CA$2.76

$2.07 CA$2.88

-3.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.29 CA$1.80

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$5.94 CA$8.25

-15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.04

$8.66 CA$12.03

-24.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.10 CA$2.91

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.28 CA$3.17

17.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.53

$2.26 CA$3.15

44.25%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.27 CA$4.54

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.14

$9.19 CA$12.77

57.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.99

$10.05 CA$13.96

28.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.44

$10.08 CA$14.01

60.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.00

$3.17 CA$4.41

36.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.37 CA$1.91

-1.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$2.49 CA$3.46

53.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.14 CA$4.37

33.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.45 CA$3.41

8.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.13 CA$2.96

28.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$1.91 CA$2.65

44.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.21 CA$1.68

61.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.81

$14.79 CA$20.55

1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.38

$10.91 CA$15.16

34.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$3.22 CA$4.48

-11.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.58

$2.26 CA$3.14

77.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$1.46 CA$2.03

91.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$43.85 CA$60.9

96.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.00

$3.23 CA$4.49

11.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.40 CA$1.94

-5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.31

$18.10 CA$25.15

60.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.32 CA$1.83

-15.15%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$13.2K CA$18.4K

87.76%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$19.0K CA$26.3K

15.89%

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

$217 CA$302

$111 CA$154

95.74%

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

$41.55 CA$57.7

$45.30 CA$62.9

-8.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.7

$45.18 CA$62.8

28.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.0

$43.58 CA$60.6

25.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.4

$41.04 CA$57.0

28.70%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.74

$11.26 CA$15.64

13.41%

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

$874 CA$1,214

$930 CA$1,291

-6.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$13.3K CA$18.4K

20.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.7

$48.62 CA$67.6

21.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$33.65 CA$46.76

38.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$82.0 CA$114

6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$63.2 CA$87.9

71.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,964

$1,354 CA$1,881

4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,629

$1,166 CA$1,620

0.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,222

$2,187 CA$3,038

6.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,621

$1,665 CA$2,313

13.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,407

$4,507 CA$6,262

-13.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,867

$4,096 CA$5,691

-14.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,375

$3,325 CA$4,619

-5.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.08

-6.09%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Courtenay: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,354 in Courtenay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Courtenay pays 6% 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 $58.0 in Courtenay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $300 per month, with Courtenay 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 Courtenay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Courtenay is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Courtenay earns 6% 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 $1,354 in Courtenay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Courtenay – a meal for two runs $58.0 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 $2,149 in Courtenay – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,149 in Courtenay versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Courtenay but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Courtenay 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 Courtenay 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.