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: $2,523 in Calgary versus $1,728 in Fort St John, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $2,737 in Fort St John, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $3,746 in Fort St John, BC.

Living in Calgary is roughly 46% more expensive than Fort St John, BC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Fort St John, BC 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.74

$13.80 CA$19.10

34.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.0

$44.90 CA$62.2

55.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.17

$9.53 CA$13.20

15.01%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.17

$4.31 CA$5.97

-13.46%

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

$1.99 CA$2.75

$1.85 CA$2.57

7.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.25 CA$1.73

37.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.94

$6.35 CA$8.79

-21.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.01

$5.60 CA$7.76

16.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.35 CA$3.25

-5.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.69

$3.29 CA$4.55

-18.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$3.94 CA$5.45

-17.26%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.64

$3.86 CA$5.35

-13.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.07

$6.57 CA$9.10

120.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.93

$12.13 CA$16.79

6.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.36

$19.41 CA$26.87

-16.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$5.98

$5.22 CA$7.23

-17.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$0.68 CA$0.94

98.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.30

$3.85 CA$5.33

-0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.79

$3.75 CA$5.19

11.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.67

$5.22 CA$7.23

-49.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.90 CA$4.02

-5.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$2.51 CA$3.47

9.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$2.25 CA$3.11

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.74

$14.68 CA$20.33

2.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.31

$21.27 CA$29.44

-31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$2.95 CA$4.08

-3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.56

$3.02 CA$4.18

33.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$1.45 CA$2.00

93.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$119

$29.49 CA$40.84

192.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$4.99

$7.24 CA$10.03

-50.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.02 CA$1.41

29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.17

$26.28 CA$36.38

10.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.55

$1.26 CA$1.75

-11.11%

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

$24.9K CA$34.4K

$25.2K CA$34.9K

-1.38%

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

$22.0K CA$30.4K

$20.5K CA$28.4K

7.16%

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

$217 CA$301

$86.3 CA$119

151.70%

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

$41.55 CA$57.5

$104 CA$144

-60.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.4

$65.1 CA$90.1

-10.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$75.8

$55.9 CA$77.3

-2.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.1

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.68

$10.91 CA$15.10

17.05%

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

$874 CA$1,210

$745 CA$1,032

17.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$11.6K CA$16.1K

37.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.5

$74.3 CA$103

-20.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.4

$48.13 CA$66.6

-3.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$84.7 CA$117

2.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$145 CA$201

-25.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,957

$589 CA$815

140.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,623

$552 CA$765

112.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,211

$1,302 CA$1,803

78.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,612

$1,125 CA$1,557

67.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,389

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,851

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,360

$3,124 CA$4,325

0.81%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $589 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $45.00 in Fort St John, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $412, 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 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 1% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,414 in Calgary versus $589 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 $45.00 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $1,728 in Fort St John, BC – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,728 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,523 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 46% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.