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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,189 in Courtenay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $3,083 in Courtenay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $3,978 in Courtenay.

Living in Calgary is roughly 7% more expensive than in Courtenay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Courtenay 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$14.59 CA$20.41

21.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$57.3 CA$80.1

24.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$10.18 CA$14.24

6.58%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$3.70 CA$5.18

4.05%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.03 CA$2.84

-3.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.63 CA$2.28

9.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$5.74 CA$8.04

-13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$5.98 CA$8.37

-1.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$2.38 CA$3.33

-22.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$2.13 CA$2.98

28.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.60

$2.13 CA$2.98

155.40%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$3.30 CA$4.62

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$10.22 CA$14.30

13.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$9.28 CA$12.99

24.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.50

$19.98 CA$27.95

-5.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$3.27 CA$4.58

51.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.31 CA$1.83

8.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$2.42 CA$3.39

74.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$3.04 CA$4.25

34.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.71 CA$3.78

-5.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$2.15 CA$3.01

31.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.03 CA$2.83

26.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.71 CA$2.39

-9.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$14.65 CA$20.50

-0.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$10.63 CA$14.87

46.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$2.50 CA$3.49

3.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$2.46 CA$3.45

31.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.01 CA$2.81

47.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$43.72 CA$61.2

108.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$2.75 CA$3.85

15.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.41 CA$1.97

-1.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

$17.97 CA$25.13

53.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.22 CA$1.71

2.46%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$20.6K CA$28.8K

37.52%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$18.9K CA$26.4K

12.72%

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

$178 CA$249

$136 CA$190

30.88%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$37.09 CA$51.9

5.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$65.2 CA$91.3

-21.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.5

$43.83 CA$61.3

24.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

$39.01 CA$54.6

-51.88%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$10.71 CA$14.99

35.85%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$1,779 CA$2,489

-54.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

$12.4K CA$17.3K

32.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$55.9 CA$78.2

6.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$45.25 CA$63.3

-10.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$79.1 CA$111

16.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$61.3 CA$85.8

83.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$1,232 CA$1,724

4.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,424

$1,112 CA$1,556

-8.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,766

$2,188 CA$3,060

-9.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$1,630 CA$2,281

7.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$5,504 CA$7,700

-35.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

$3,246 CA$4,541

-1.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.87

-8.01%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Courtenay: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $1,232 in Courtenay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Courtenay pays 1% 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 $57.0 in Courtenay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $333 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Courtenay. 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: $1,284 in Calgary versus $1,232 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 $57.0 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 $2,189 in Courtenay – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,189 in Courtenay versus $2,344 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 7% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.