Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Dawson Creek Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Dawson Creek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,339 in Dawson Creek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $3,336 in Dawson Creek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $4,332 in Dawson Creek.

Monthly costs are close between Calgary and Dawson Creek; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Dawson Creek 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$18.27 CA$25.57

-3.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$43.89 CA$61.4

62.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$12.55 CA$17.56

-13.55%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$4.02 CA$5.62

-4.23%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.79 CA$3.90

-30.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$3.33 CA$4.66

-46.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$4.73 CA$6.61

5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.26

$5.60 CA$7.83

5.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$3.19 CA$4.47

-42.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$5.10 CA$7.14

-46.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.61

$6.75 CA$9.44

-19.41%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$4.03 CA$5.64

-9.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$7.15 CA$10.00

61.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$17.20 CA$24.06

-32.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.51

$15.81 CA$22.11

19.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$3.77 CA$5.28

31.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.38 CA$1.93

2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.91

$3.69 CA$5.16

14.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$3.81 CA$5.33

7.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.57 CA$3.59

-0.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$2.22 CA$3.11

27.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.55 CA$3.57

0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.62 CA$2.27

-4.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$13.98 CA$19.56

4.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$10.72 CA$14.99

45.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$3.85 CA$5.38

-32.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$3.13 CA$4.38

3.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.40 CA$3.35

23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$68.4 CA$95.7

33.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$2.97 CA$4.16

6.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.48 CA$2.07

-6.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.71

$20.35 CA$28.47

35.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.13 CA$1.58

10.62%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$32.7K CA$45.7K

-13.30%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$17.8K CA$24.9K

19.51%

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

$178 CA$249

$140 CA$196

26.84%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$38.41 CA$53.7

2.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$67.7 CA$94.6

-24.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.6

$41.53 CA$58.1

31.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.26

$15.66 CA$21.91

19.86%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$11.52 CA$16.11

26.30%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$793 CA$1,110

2.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

$14.3K CA$20.0K

14.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$27.21 CA$38.07

118.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$38.41 CA$53.7

5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$97.0 CA$136

-4.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$89.9 CA$126

25.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$575 CA$804

123.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,425

$1,169 CA$1,636

-12.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,767

$1,985 CA$2,777

-0.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$1,710 CA$2,393

2.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$3,758 CA$5,258

-4.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,699

$4,140 CA$5,792

-18.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.66

-3.86%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Dawson Creek: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $575 in Dawson Creek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $44.00 in Dawson Creek. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $431, 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 Dawson Creek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $3,515 in Calgary and $3,509 in Dawson Creek to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,284 in Calgary versus $575 in Dawson Creek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $812 in Calgary versus $793 in Dawson Creek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dawson Creek – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,339 in Dawson Creek versus $2,344 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dawson Creek but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Dawson Creek 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.

It comes down to priorities – Dawson Creek wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.