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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,769 in North Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $4,402 in North Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $6,036 in North Vancouver.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 15% less than in North Vancouver, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, North Vancouver 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$21.91 CA$30.65

-19.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$65.7 CA$91.8

8.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$9.38 CA$13.12

15.67%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$4.28 CA$5.98

-10.05%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.40 CA$3.36

-18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.72 CA$2.40

4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$5.78 CA$8.09

-14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$5.96 CA$8.34

-1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$1.87 CA$2.62

-1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$2.82 CA$3.94

-3.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.60

$2.39 CA$3.34

127.62%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$3.29 CA$4.60

10.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$13.84 CA$19.36

-16.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$12.91 CA$18.06

-10.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.50

$15.72 CA$21.99

20.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$4.37 CA$6.11

13.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.38 CA$1.94

2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$4.63 CA$6.48

-8.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$4.44 CA$6.20

-7.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.92 CA$4.09

-12.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$2.88 CA$4.03

-2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.84 CA$3.97

-9.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$2.06 CA$2.89

-24.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$14.47 CA$20.24

0.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$14.54 CA$20.33

7.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$2.08 CA$2.91

24.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$2.91 CA$4.07

11.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$3.02 CA$4.22

-1.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$100.0 CA$140

-8.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$2.72 CA$3.81

16.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.55 CA$2.16

-10.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

$28.55 CA$39.93

-3.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.31 CA$1.83

-4.58%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$28.7K CA$40.2K

-1.40%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$19.4K CA$27.1K

9.92%

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

$178 CA$249

$131 CA$183

35.76%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$37.41 CA$52.3

5.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$54.0 CA$75.6

-5.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.5

$31.46 CA$44.01

73.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

$24.66 CA$34.50

-23.88%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$12.33 CA$17.25

18.00%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$1,077 CA$1,507

-24.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

$10.8K CA$15.1K

52.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$64.2 CA$89.7

-7.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$38.41 CA$53.7

5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$83.8 CA$117

10.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$111 CA$155

1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$1,832 CA$2,562

-29.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,424

$1,550 CA$2,168

-34.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,766

$3,143 CA$4,396

-37.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$3,140 CA$4,393

-44.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$8,401 CA$11.8K

-57.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

$6,679 CA$9,343

-49.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

$3,153 CA$4,410

1.91%

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 12, 2026

Last update for North Vancouver: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $1,832 in North Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 2% 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 $66.0 in North Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $390 per month, with North Vancouver 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 North Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% 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 $1,832 in North Vancouver. 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 $66.0 in North Vancouver. 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 $2,769 in North Vancouver – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,769 in North Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in North Vancouver. 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 North Vancouver, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Calgary and North Vancouver 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 18% less than in North Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.