Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Mont-Laurier Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Mont-Laurier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,485 in Calgary versus $2,181 in Mont-Laurier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,590 in Calgary versus $3,219 in Mont-Laurier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,694 in Calgary versus $4,257 in Mont-Laurier.

Living in Calgary is roughly 14% more expensive than Mont-Laurier, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 86% above, Mont-Laurier 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.34 CA$25.67

$16.14 CA$22.58

13.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$99.4

$74.3 CA$104

-4.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.75

$11.10 CA$15.54

1.35%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.35

$3.71 CA$5.19

3.23%

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

$1.96 CA$2.74

$2.18 CA$3.05

-10.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.31

$1.46 CA$2.04

13.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 CA$7.40

$6.24 CA$8.74

-15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 CA$9.50

$6.59 CA$9.23

3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.14

$2.27 CA$3.18

-1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$2.71 CA$3.80

0.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.73

$2.52 CA$3.52

34.13%

Eggs

$3.29 CA$4.61

$3.28 CA$4.59

0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.76 CA$20.66

$6.19 CA$8.66

138.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.70 CA$17.77

$11.59 CA$16.22

9.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.95 CA$22.32

$15.49 CA$21.68

2.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 CA$6.03

$3.72 CA$5.21

15.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.64 CA$2.30

-17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.29

$4.02 CA$5.62

-5.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$3.25 CA$4.55

29.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$1.48 CA$2.07

74.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$1.13 CA$1.58

138.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.83

$1.96 CA$2.74

39.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 CA$2.71

$1.73 CA$2.42

12.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.75 CA$20.64

$10.66 CA$14.92

38.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 CA$19.71

$6.31 CA$8.83

123.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.93

$3.06 CA$4.29

-8.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 CA$5.54

$3.56 CA$4.99

11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.94

$2.35 CA$3.29

19.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.6 CA$121

$63.3 CA$88.7

36.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 CA$4.78

$3.57 CA$4.99

-4.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.90

$1.46 CA$2.04

-6.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.03 CA$40.64

$33.41 CA$46.76

-13.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 CA$1.50

$1.14 CA$1.60

-6.14%

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

$25.0K CA$35.0K

$25.1K CA$35.1K

-0.10%

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

$22.1K CA$30.9K

$21.5K CA$30.1K

2.69%

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

$215 CA$300

$76.8 CA$107

179.46%

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

$40.33 CA$56.5

$36.71 CA$51.4

9.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.1

$44.54 CA$62.3

30.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.7

$41.17 CA$57.6

33.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.6 CA$75.0

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.71

$11.16 CA$15.62

13.44%

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

$872 CA$1,221

$612 CA$856

42.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.6K

$5,779 CA$8,089

179.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 CA$80.9

$61.2 CA$85.7

-5.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.36 CA$66.3

$44.62 CA$62.5

6.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 CA$122

$104 CA$146

-16.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$152

$120 CA$167

-8.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,979

$1,338 CA$1,873

5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 CA$1,614

$1,201 CA$1,682

-4.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,311 CA$3,234

$2,002 CA$2,801

15.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,876 CA$2,626

$1,816 CA$2,541

3.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,833 CA$5,365

$4,861 CA$6,803

-21.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,392 CA$4,747

$3,758 CA$5,260

-9.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,127 CA$4,377

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.01

13.97%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 13, 2026

Last update for Mont-Laurier: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,338 in Mont-Laurier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $74.0 in Mont-Laurier. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $327, with Mont-Laurier 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 Mont-Laurier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mont-Laurier is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,728 in Calgary and $3,271 in Mont-Laurier 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,338 in Mont-Laurier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mont-Laurier – 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 $2,485 per month in Calgary versus $2,181 in Mont-Laurier – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,181 in Mont-Laurier versus $2,485 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mont-Laurier but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Mont-Laurier 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 Mont-Laurier 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 Mont-Laurier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.