Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and North Charleston, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $2,982 in North Charleston, SC, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in North Charleston, SC outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index
142

Cost of Living Index in North Charleston, SC
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North Charleston, SC Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

North Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,982

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in North Charleston, SC

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in North Charleston, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,982 in North Charleston, SC.

Calgary $2,232
North Charleston, SC $2,982

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,363 in Calgary versus $4,326 in North Charleston, SC.

Calgary $3,363
North Charleston, SC $4,326

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,493 in Calgary versus $5,670 in North Charleston, SC.

Calgary $4,493
North Charleston, SC $5,670

Living in Calgary costs roughly 25% less than in North Charleston, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 67% above, North Charleston, SC 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.54

$20.30 $20.30

-15.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$101

$91.6 $91.6

-22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$15.06

$12.16 $12.16

-13.16%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.38

$5.92 $5.92

-36.32%

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

$1.91 CA$2.73

$2.93 $2.93

-34.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.63

$2.43 $2.43

-24.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 CA$6.93

$6.01 $6.01

-19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.91

$8.05 $8.05

-31.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 CA$2.68

$1.01 $1.01

86.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.89

$3.59 $3.59

-23.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 CA$7.61

$4.63 $4.63

15.33%

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.37

$5.10 $5.10

-26.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 CA$16.09

$7.00 $7.00

61.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.34

$14.45 $14.45

-20.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.26 CA$26.03

$20.60 $20.60

-11.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.62

$8.18 $8.18

-43.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.05

$1.79 $1.79

-19.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$6.02

$5.18 $5.18

-18.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.50

$6.30 $6.30

-38.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.74

$4.41 $4.41

-40.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.79

$3.21 $3.21

-17.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.69

$2.61 $2.61

-0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CA$2.19

$1.95 $1.95

-21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 CA$20.32

$9.64 $9.64

47.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CA$21.76

$15.76 $15.76

-3.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.44

$2.21 $2.21

9.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.41

$2.97 $2.97

4.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 CA$4.11

$2.51 $2.51

14.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.7 CA$126

$50.6 $50.6

75.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.61

$2.93 $2.93

10.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.97

$1.27 $1.27

8.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.49 CA$37.75

$32.69 $32.69

-18.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.68

$0.99 $0.99

19.19%

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

$28.3K CA$40.3K

$34.9K $34.9K

-18.96%

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

$20.7K CA$29.5K

$25.2K $25.2K

-17.75%

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

$159 CA$227

$225 $225

-29.18%

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

$37.61 CA$53.6

$76.4 $76.4

-50.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.68 CA$70.8

$83.6 $83.6

-40.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 CA$75.9

$17.20 $17.20

209.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 CA$26.10

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 CA$20.06

$13.91 $13.91

1.22%

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

$809 CA$1,154

$930 $930

-12.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.6K

$18.4K $18.4K

-13.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$83.8

$66.0 $66.0

-10.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$55.4

$44.41 $44.41

-12.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 CA$130

$112 $112

-18.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$155

$132 $132

-17.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,764

$2,004 $2,004

-38.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 CA$1,420

$1,486 $1,486

-32.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 CA$2,720

$2,465 $2,465

-22.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 CA$2,382

$2,393 $2,393

-30.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 CA$5,032

$2,865 $2,865

23.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 CA$4,755

$2,896 $2,896

15.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,130 CA$4,461

$4,375 $4,375

-28.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

6.57

-31.35%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Last update for North Charleston, SC: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$996 44.8%

North Charleston, SC

$1.5K 50.7% 49.1% $489

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$387 17.4%

North Charleston, SC

$446 15.2% 15.1% $59

Eating Out

Calgary

$265 11.9%

North Charleston, SC

$338 11.5% 27.3% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$247 11.1%

North Charleston, SC

$385 13.1% 56.1% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$134 6%

North Charleston, SC

$159 5.5% 18.9% $25

Getting Around

Calgary

$110 5%

North Charleston, SC

$70 2.4% 36.6% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$81 3.7%

North Charleston, SC

$45 1.5% 44.7% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,237 in Calgary and $2,004 in North Charleston, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Charleston, SC pays 40% 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 $92.0 in North Charleston, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $446 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇺🇸 North Charleston, SC

🕒 Local time

18:28 6:28 PM

20:28 8:28 PM

2 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

97,471

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Calgary North Charleston, SC 3,420 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
North Charleston, SC

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Charleston, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in North Charleston, SC. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,237 in Calgary versus $2,004 in North Charleston, SC. 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 $92.0 in North Charleston, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,232 per month in Calgary versus $2,982 in North Charleston, SC – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,982 in North Charleston, SC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in North Charleston, SC. 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in North Charleston, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.