Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Estevan Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Estevan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,250 in Estevan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $3,286 in Estevan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $4,323 in Estevan.

Living in Calgary is roughly 8% more expensive than Estevan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Estevan 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$22.47 CA$30.79

-19.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$74.8 CA$103

-6.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$5.92 CA$8.11

85.98%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$2.20 CA$3.01

69.55%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$2.31 CA$3.17

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.89 CA$2.59

-12.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$5.94 CA$8.14

-11.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$5.93 CA$8.12

12.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$0.96 CA$1.32

123.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$1.21 CA$1.66

121.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.16 CA$4.33

7.59%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$1.96 CA$2.68

67.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$11.60 CA$15.89

26.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$6.32 CA$8.66

99.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$17.98 CA$24.64

-10.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$3.62 CA$4.96

23.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.27 CA$1.74

5.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$4.27 CA$5.85

-12.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.52 CA$4.82

21.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$3.31 CA$4.54

-19.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.82 CA$3.87

-7.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$1.51 CA$2.07

81.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$0.41 CA$0.56

363.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$14.91 CA$20.43

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$13.35 CA$18.29

7.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$3.68 CA$5.04

-21.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$2.94 CA$4.03

35.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.39 CA$3.27

12.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$63.4 CA$86.8

38.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.23 CA$4.43

10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$0.67 CA$0.92

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$29.53 CA$40.45

-0.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.11 CA$1.51

1.80%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

-1.21%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$20.0K CA$27.4K

11.07%

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

$218 CA$299

$136 CA$186

60.17%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$51.1 CA$70.0

-18.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$50.4 CA$69.0

15.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$41.65 CA$57.1

29.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$9.27 CA$12.69

36.57%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$490 CA$672

80.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$11.1K CA$15.2K

45.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$62.7 CA$86.0

-7.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$32.61 CA$44.67

47.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$85.1 CA$117

3.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$108 CA$148

-1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,307 CA$1,791

6.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$1,172 CA$1,606

1.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$1,998 CA$2,737

14.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,810 CA$2,479

2.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$3,835 CA$5,254

-1.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$3,112 CA$4,264

12.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$4,353 CA$5,964

-28.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.47

-11.75%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Estevan: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $1,307 in Estevan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Estevan pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $75 in Estevan. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $300, with Estevan 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 Estevan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Estevan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Estevan earns 40% 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: $1,396 in Calgary versus $1,307 in Estevan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Estevan – 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 $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $2,250 in Estevan – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,250 in Estevan versus $2,433 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Estevan but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Estevan 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 Estevan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.