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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,292 in Grande Prairie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,301 in Grande Prairie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $4,309 in Grande Prairie.

Living in Calgary is roughly 2% more expensive than in Grande Prairie, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Grande Prairie 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$18.33 CA$25.42

0.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$73.8 CA$102

-3.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$12.92 CA$17.92

-17.34%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.98 CA$5.52

-1.26%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.49 CA$3.45

-18.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$2.22 CA$3.08

-11.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$5.02 CA$6.97

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$6.45 CA$8.94

-8.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.65 CA$2.28

23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.63 CA$3.65

8.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$3.25 CA$4.51

76.00%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$3.48 CA$4.82

9.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$12.44 CA$17.25

-7.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$10.93 CA$15.16

9.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$17.78 CA$24.66

6.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$4.53 CA$6.28

8.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.25 CA$1.73

13.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$4.33 CA$6.00

0.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$1.60 CA$2.22

70.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$2.12 CA$2.94

35.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.27 CA$3.15

13.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$0.82 CA$1.13

81.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$17.60 CA$24.41

-16.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$11.46 CA$15.90

35.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$3.41 CA$4.74

-26.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$2.57 CA$3.57

27.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.12 CA$2.94

38.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$54.7 CA$75.9

64.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.09 CA$1.51

11.93%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$28.9K CA$40.0K

-1.04%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$24.0K CA$33.2K

-12.89%

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

$182 CA$253

$349 CA$484

-47.72%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$81.4 CA$113

-51.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$78.4 CA$109

-34.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$40.26 CA$55.8

36.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$10.79 CA$14.97

34.57%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$473 CA$656

73.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$71.6 CA$99.3

-13.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$18.23 CA$25.29

120.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$73.0 CA$101

29.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$71.7 CA$99.5

58.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,014 CA$1,407

23.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$939 CA$1,302

15.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,476 CA$2,047

35.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,403 CA$1,945

21.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

$1,708 CA$2,368

99.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$2,988 CA$4,144

8.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.62

-3.03%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Grande Prairie: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,014 in Grande Prairie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 9% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $74.0 in Grande Prairie. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $356, 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Calgary, 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: $1,256 in Calgary versus $1,014 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 $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,344 per month in Calgary versus $2,292 in Grande Prairie – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,292 in Grande Prairie versus $2,344 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 2% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.