Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and North Vancouver

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,303 a month against $2,803 in North Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calgary, Canada
North Vancouver, Canada
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,303
/mo nomad
North Vancouver
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,803
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in North Vancouver

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 Vancouver actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,303 in Calgary versus $2,803 in North Vancouver.

  • Calgary $2,303
  • North Vancouver $2,803

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,366 in Calgary versus $4,166 in North Vancouver.

  • Calgary $3,366
  • North Vancouver $4,166

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,428 in Calgary versus $5,528 in North Vancouver.

  • Calgary $4,428
  • North Vancouver $5,528

Living in Calgary costs roughly 18% less than in North Vancouver, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 69% above, North Vancouver 106% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
North Vancouver
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.55 CA$24.53
$21.67 CA$30.29
-19.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.4 CA$98.4
$64.9 CA$90.8
8.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.69 CA$14.94
$9.51 CA$13.29
12.41%
Cappuccino
$3.89 CA$5.44
$4.33 CA$6.05
-10.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 CA$2.85
$2.36 CA$3.30
-13.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 CA$2.62
$1.78 CA$2.49
5.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.90 CA$6.84
$4.86 CA$6.79
0.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.78 CA$8.08
$6.24 CA$8.71
-7.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
North Vancouver
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 CA$2.74
$2.02 CA$2.83
-2.97%
White Bread (500g)
$2.74 CA$3.83
$2.76 CA$3.85
-0.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.46 CA$7.63
$3.38 CA$4.72
61.54%
Eggs
$3.69 CA$5.15
$3.17 CA$4.42
16.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.24 CA$15.72
$13.89 CA$19.42
-19.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.54 CA$16.13
$13.64 CA$19.07
-15.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.38 CA$25.68
$15.90 CA$22.22
15.60%
Apples (1kg)
$4.90 CA$6.85
$4.19 CA$5.85
16.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 CA$1.99
$1.46 CA$2.05
-2.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.89
$4.33 CA$6.05
-2.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.02 CA$5.62
$4.05 CA$5.67
-0.74%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 CA$3.77
$2.93 CA$4.09
-8.19%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 CA$3.72
$2.80 CA$3.91
-5.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.61 CA$3.65
$2.82 CA$3.94
-7.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 CA$2.23
$2.16 CA$3.02
-25.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.00 CA$19.57
$14.36 CA$20.07
-2.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.40 CA$21.52
$14.05 CA$19.64
9.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 CA$3.49
$2.06 CA$2.87
21.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.32
$2.89 CA$4.04
6.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
North Vancouver
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.93 CA$4.10
$2.57 CA$3.60
14.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.3 CA$125
$98.3 CA$137
-9.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.27 CA$4.57
$2.72 CA$3.81
20.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 CA$1.89
$1.53 CA$2.14
-11.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.39 CA$38.28
$27.76 CA$38.80
-1.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 CA$1.64
$1.28 CA$1.78
-8.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.1K
$27.8K CA$38.9K
0.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.0K CA$29.4K
$21.1K CA$29.5K
-0.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
North Vancouver
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 CA$233
$129 CA$180
29.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.27 CA$53.5
$38.44 CA$53.7
-0.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.9 CA$71.2
$52.5 CA$73.4
-3.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
North Vancouver
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 CA$71.2
$27.78 CA$38.82
83.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.17 CA$25.40
$24.10 CA$33.68
-24.61%
Cinema Ticket
$14.44 CA$20.18
$11.90 CA$16.63
21.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
North Vancouver
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$545 CA$762
$1,071 CA$1,496
-49.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K CA$22.7K
$10.8K CA$15.1K
49.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
North Vancouver
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 CA$82.3
$65.2 CA$91.1
-9.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.75 CA$55.6
$38.34 CA$53.6
3.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$130
$82.4 CA$115
13.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$154
$111 CA$155
-0.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
North Vancouver
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,254 CA$1,753
$1,947 CA$2,721
-35.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,056 CA$1,477
$1,578 CA$2,205
-33.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,022 CA$2,826
$3,343 CA$4,672
-39.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,629 CA$2,276
$2,744 CA$3,836
-40.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,600 CA$5,032
$8,186 CA$11.4K
-56.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,243 CA$4,532
$5,846 CA$8,171
-44.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
North Vancouver
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,115 CA$4,354
$3,112 CA$4,349
0.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
4.69
-3.84%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 26, 2026

Last update for North Vancouver: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$1.1K
North Vancouver
$1.6K 49.3% $521
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$393
North Vancouver
$395 0.5% $1.9
Eating Out
Calgary
$271
North Vancouver
$307 13.4% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$256
North Vancouver
$220 14.1% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$136
North Vancouver
$134 1.8% $2.4
Getting Around
Calgary
$111
North Vancouver
$119 7.1% $7.9
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$80
North Vancouver
$52 35.4% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,254 in Calgary and $1,947 in North Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $65 in North Vancouver. Groceries flip the comparison at $393 vs $395, with Calgary cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇨🇦 North Vancouver
🕒 Local time
09:56 9:56 AM
08:56 8:56 AM
1 h behind Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
48,200
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary North Vancouver 670 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • North Vancouver

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 Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calgary cheaper than North Vancouver?
Calgary is about 18% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $3,454 in Calgary and $4,205 in North Vancouver 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.
What is the rent difference between Calgary and North Vancouver?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,254 in Calgary versus $1,947 in North Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $545 in Calgary versus $1,071 in North Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Calgary or in North Vancouver?
Dining out is cheaper in North Vancouver – a meal for two runs $65 versus $70 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is it better to live in Calgary or in North Vancouver?
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.

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