Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Fort St John, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Fort St John, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $2,740 in Fort St John, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $3,751 in Fort St John, BC.

Living in Calgary is roughly 42% more expensive than in Fort St John, BC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Fort St John, BC 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.70

$13.92 CA$19.52

31.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.0

$43.98 CA$61.7

58.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.35

$9.45 CA$13.24

15.87%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.24

$4.42 CA$6.20

-15.38%

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

$2.04 CA$2.86

$1.86 CA$2.61

9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$1.31 CA$1.84

27.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.29

$6.68 CA$9.37

-22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.41

$5.59 CA$7.84

20.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.15

$2.38 CA$3.33

-5.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$3.40 CA$4.77

-19.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$3.81 CA$5.34

-15.22%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.83

$3.91 CA$5.48

-11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.19

$6.51 CA$9.13

121.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.07

$12.39 CA$17.37

4.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.24

$19.09 CA$26.77

-16.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.02

$5.25 CA$7.35

-18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$0.67 CA$0.94

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.40

$3.98 CA$5.58

-3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.97

$3.59 CA$5.03

18.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$5.23 CA$7.33

-51.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$2.87 CA$4.02

-8.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.92

$2.46 CA$3.44

13.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.19 CA$3.07

-10.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$20.99

$14.61 CA$20.48

2.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.49

$21.01 CA$29.46

-33.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.10

$2.86 CA$4.00

2.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$3.08 CA$4.32

26.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.84

$1.49 CA$2.09

83.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$123

$28.99 CA$40.64

202.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.04

$7.23 CA$10.13

-50.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.07 CA$1.50

21.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.24

$25.59 CA$35.88

12.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.26 CA$1.77

-11.11%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$25.0K CA$35.0K

1.99%

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

$21.7K CA$30.5K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

7.08%

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

$213 CA$299

$87.8 CA$123

142.59%

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

$40.96 CA$57.4

$103 CA$144

-60.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.2

$66.2 CA$92.9

-12.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.0

$56.6 CA$79.3

-4.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.4

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.71

$11.09 CA$15.55

13.89%

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

$874 CA$1,226

$746 CA$1,047

17.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$11.9K CA$16.7K

33.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.2

$72.7 CA$102

-19.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$65.9

$47.98 CA$67.3

-2.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$119

$83.6 CA$117

1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$148 CA$207

-27.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,935

$578 CA$811

138.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,625

$541 CA$759

114.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,259

$1,340 CA$1,879

73.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,670

$1,094 CA$1,534

74.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,308

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,922

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,121

$3,079 CA$4,317

-4.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

7.45

-23.36%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $578 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 5% 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 $44.00 in Fort St John, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $411, 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 Fort St John, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort St John, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Fort St John, BC. 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $578 in Fort St John, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort St John, BC – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,730 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fort St John, BC but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Fort St John, BC 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 Fort St John, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.