Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and High Level Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and High Level

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,275 in High Level.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,297 in High Level.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $4,318 in High Level.

Living in Calgary is roughly 3% more expensive than in High Level, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, High Level 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$16.86 CA$23.38

9.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$60.0 CA$83.2

19.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$11.19 CA$15.52

-4.56%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.31 CA$4.60

18.73%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.03 CA$2.81

-0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.68 CA$2.33

17.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$5.94 CA$8.23

-17.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.04 CA$6.99

17.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.96 CA$2.72

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.83 CA$3.93

1.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$3.33 CA$4.62

71.77%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$3.09 CA$4.28

23.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$9.17 CA$12.72

26.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$13.08 CA$18.14

-8.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$14.79 CA$20.51

28.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$4.41 CA$6.11

11.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.17 CA$1.63

21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$3.62 CA$5.02

20.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$4.39 CA$6.09

-8.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.29 CA$3.17

18.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$2.50 CA$3.47

15.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.60 CA$3.60

-1.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.58 CA$2.19

-5.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$13.74 CA$19.05

7.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$11.14 CA$15.45

39.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$2.78 CA$3.86

-9.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$2.91 CA$4.04

12.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.17 CA$3.01

35.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$55.6 CA$77.1

61.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$2.66 CA$3.69

24.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.42 CA$1.97

-3.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$27.06 CA$37.53

0.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.15 CA$1.59

6.09%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$29.4K CA$40.7K

-2.71%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$19.1K CA$26.5K

9.31%

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

$182 CA$253

$139 CA$192

31.47%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$33.52 CA$46.49

17.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$52.8 CA$73.3

-2.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$42.19 CA$58.5

29.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

$20.93 CA$29.03

-10.22%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$12.23 CA$16.96

18.72%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$887 CA$1,230

-7.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$12.6K CA$17.5K

29.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$56.9 CA$78.9

8.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$43.52 CA$60.4

-7.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$73.9 CA$103

27.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$105 CA$146

7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,276 CA$1,770

-1.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$1,281 CA$1,777

-15.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,717 CA$2,382

16.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,568 CA$2,175

8.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

$4,084 CA$5,665

-11.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

$4,144 CA$5,748

-17.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.68

-4.27%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for High Level: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,276 in High Level. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $60.0 in High Level for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $360 per month, with High Level cheaper across the board.

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 High Level: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

High Level is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,516 in Calgary and $3,413 in High Level to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,256 in Calgary versus $1,276 in High Level. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in High Level – a meal for two runs $60.0 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 $2,275 in High Level – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,275 in High Level versus $2,344 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in High Level but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes High Level 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.

Safety-wise, Calgary and High Level are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find High Level gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.