Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Kelowna Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Kelowna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,414 in Kelowna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,520 in Kelowna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $4,625 in Kelowna.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 3% less than in Kelowna, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Kelowna 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$17.08 CA$23.68

8.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$59.1 CA$82.0

20.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$11.38 CA$15.78

-6.15%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$4.20 CA$5.82

-6.43%

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

$1.71 CA$2.37

15.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$4.82 CA$6.68

2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.67 CA$7.87

4.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.09 CA$2.89

-2.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.90 CA$4.02

-1.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$3.48 CA$4.83

64.37%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$3.31 CA$4.59

15.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$9.35 CA$12.97

23.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$13.43 CA$18.62

-11.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$21.72 CA$30.13

-12.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$3.51 CA$4.87

39.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.52 CA$2.11

-6.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$3.56 CA$4.93

22.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$4.89 CA$6.78

-17.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$3.12 CA$4.33

-12.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$3.21 CA$4.45

-10.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.63 CA$3.64

-2.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.95 CA$2.70

-23.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$14.35 CA$19.90

2.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$13.80 CA$19.14

12.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$2.67 CA$3.70

-5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$3.10 CA$4.30

5.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$1.77 CA$2.45

66.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$50.5 CA$70.0

77.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$2.87 CA$3.98

14.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.84 CA$2.55

-25.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$34.55 CA$47.92

-21.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.21 CA$1.68

0.83%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

0.49%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$18.6K CA$25.8K

12.20%

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

$182 CA$253

$129 CA$179

41.30%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$46.25 CA$64.1

-14.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$57.5 CA$79.7

-10.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$57.6 CA$79.9

-4.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

$30.93 CA$42.89

-39.25%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$12.19 CA$16.90

19.11%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$1,050 CA$1,456

-22.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

-1.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$50.4 CA$69.8

22.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$41.38 CA$57.4

-2.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$86.7 CA$120

8.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$103 CA$143

10.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,349 CA$1,871

-6.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$1,214 CA$1,683

-10.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$2,339 CA$3,244

-14.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$2,005 CA$2,781

-14.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

$3,995 CA$5,540

-9.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

$3,224 CA$4,471

5.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$3,062 CA$4,246

6.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.69

-4.48%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kelowna: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,349 in Kelowna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $59.0 in Kelowna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $400 per month, with Kelowna 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 Kelowna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% 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 $1,349 in Kelowna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $59.0 in Kelowna. 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 $2,414 in Kelowna – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,414 in Kelowna, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Kelowna. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kelowna, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Kelowna 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Kelowna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.