Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and North Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and North Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,351 in North Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $3,469 in North Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $4,588 in North Bay.

Monthly costs are close between Calgary and North Bay; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, North Bay 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$17.95 CA$25.11

-1.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$79.5 CA$111

-10.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$10.73 CA$15.01

1.12%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$4.01 CA$5.61

-3.99%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.19 CA$3.07

-10.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.75 CA$2.45

2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$5.13 CA$7.17

-3.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$6.79 CA$9.50

-13.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$2.55 CA$3.57

-27.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$2.85 CA$3.99

-4.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.60

$2.47 CA$3.45

120.24%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$3.85 CA$5.38

-5.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$10.11 CA$14.15

14.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$11.86 CA$16.59

-2.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.50

$12.39 CA$17.33

52.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$3.84 CA$5.38

28.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.27 CA$1.78

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$3.27 CA$4.57

29.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$4.22 CA$5.90

-3.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$1.87 CA$2.62

36.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$1.60 CA$2.23

76.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.41 CA$3.37

6.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.45 CA$2.02

6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$14.52 CA$20.31

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$14.44 CA$20.20

8.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$2.33 CA$3.26

10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$2.54 CA$3.55

27.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.28 CA$3.19

29.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$69.1 CA$96.7

31.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$3.07 CA$4.30

3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.14 CA$1.60

21.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

$22.43 CA$31.37

23.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.15 CA$1.61

8.70%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$27.3K CA$38.2K

3.75%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$21.0K CA$29.4K

1.47%

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

$178 CA$249

$121 CA$170

46.61%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$33.66 CA$47.09

16.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$48.60 CA$68.0

4.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.5

$31.27 CA$43.75

74.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$12.87 CA$18.01

13.05%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$768 CA$1,074

5.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

$24.3K CA$34.0K

-32.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$44.25 CA$61.9

34.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$17.94 CA$25.10

124.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$99.7 CA$139

-7.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$88.2 CA$123

27.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$1,325 CA$1,853

-3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,424

$1,219 CA$1,705

-16.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,766

$2,272 CA$3,178

-12.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$2,093 CA$2,928

-16.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

$2,993 CA$4,187

7.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.47

0.22%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for North Bay: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $1,325 in North Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 7% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $79.0 in North Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $349, with North Bay 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 North Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 7% 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: $1,284 in Calgary versus $1,325 in North Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $812 in Calgary versus $768 in North Bay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $79.0 in North Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,351 in North Bay, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in North Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 North Bay are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Calgary wins on affordability, North Bay on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.