Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Grande Prairie Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Grande Prairie

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,300 in Grande Prairie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,321 in Grande Prairie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,343 in Grande Prairie.

Living in Calgary is roughly 10% more expensive than Grande Prairie, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Grande Prairie 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$18.25 CA$25.38

1.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$74.4 CA$104

-5.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$11.61 CA$16.15

-5.60%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.87 CA$5.38

-3.62%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.61 CA$3.63

-23.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$2.28 CA$3.17

-24.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$5.28 CA$7.35

-5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$6.44 CA$8.96

0.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.87 CA$2.60

18.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.39 CA$3.32

11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$2.86 CA$3.97

13.99%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.15 CA$4.39

6.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$12.49 CA$17.37

16.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$11.15 CA$15.51

16.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$16.19 CA$22.51

-0.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$4.54 CA$6.31

-4.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.31 CA$1.83

3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$4.37 CA$6.08

-12.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$4.09 CA$5.69

2.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$1.62 CA$2.26

63.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.19 CA$3.05

25.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.29 CA$3.19

20.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$0.84 CA$1.16

132.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$17.75 CA$24.68

-15.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$11.51 CA$16.00

27.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$3.49 CA$4.85

-18.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$2.77 CA$3.85

45.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.26 CA$3.14

23.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$54.1 CA$75.3

59.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$3.13 CA$4.35

15.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.50 CA$2.09

-12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$26.26 CA$36.52

10.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.02 CA$1.42

9.80%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$33.2K CA$46.2K

-25.24%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$27.1K CA$37.7K

-18.83%

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

$217 CA$302

$347 CA$483

-37.46%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$83.8 CA$117

-50.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$71.9 CA$100.0

-19.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$40.12 CA$55.8

36.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$11.10 CA$15.44

15.05%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$494 CA$687

76.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$11.9K CA$16.6K

33.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$73.8 CA$103

-20.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$18.30 CA$25.45

153.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$72.6 CA$101

20.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$74.9 CA$104

45.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$1,058 CA$1,471

33.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$921 CA$1,281

27.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$1,496 CA$2,080

55.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$1,426 CA$1,983

32.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$1,699 CA$2,363

106.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$3,036 CA$4,222

3.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

7.78

-26.61%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Grande Prairie: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,058 in Grande Prairie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 4% 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 $74.0 in Grande Prairie. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $351, with Grande Prairie 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 Grande Prairie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grande Prairie is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 4% 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 $1,058 in Grande Prairie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Grande Prairie – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,300 in Grande Prairie – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,300 in Grande Prairie versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Grande Prairie but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Grande Prairie 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 Grande Prairie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.