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: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,797 in North Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $4,453 in North Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $6,108 in North Vancouver.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 10% less than in North Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, North Vancouver 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$18.04 CA$25.09

3.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$69.1 CA$96.1

1.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$10.38 CA$14.43

5.59%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$4.12 CA$5.74

-9.47%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.05 CA$2.85

-2.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.30 CA$1.81

32.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$5.08 CA$7.06

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$6.82 CA$9.48

-4.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.19 CA$3.05

1.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.62 CA$3.64

1.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$2.67 CA$3.72

22.10%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.76 CA$5.23

-10.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$10.48 CA$14.57

38.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$11.67 CA$16.23

10.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$14.50 CA$20.16

11.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$3.48 CA$4.84

24.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.43 CA$1.99

-5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$2.96 CA$4.12

29.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$4.00 CA$5.56

4.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.44 CA$3.39

8.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.09 CA$2.90

31.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.47 CA$3.43

11.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.21 CA$1.68

61.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$14.76 CA$20.53

1.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$13.06 CA$18.17

12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$3.90 CA$5.42

-27.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$2.33 CA$3.24

72.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.63 CA$3.66

6.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$89.7 CA$125

-3.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$2.66 CA$3.70

35.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.55 CA$2.16

-14.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$28.74 CA$39.97

0.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.30 CA$1.81

-13.85%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$24.7K CA$34.4K

0.63%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

7.35%

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

$217 CA$302

$133 CA$186

62.81%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$42.28 CA$58.8

-1.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$66.6 CA$92.7

-12.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$33.30 CA$46.32

64.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

$29.62 CA$41.19

78.33%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$12.36 CA$17.18

3.32%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$1,207 CA$1,678

-27.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$11.2K CA$15.5K

42.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$54.8 CA$76.2

7.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$45.49 CA$63.3

2.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$95.4 CA$133

-8.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$115 CA$159

-5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$1,880 CA$2,614

-24.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$1,683 CA$2,340

-30.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$3,552 CA$4,940

-34.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$3,435 CA$4,777

-45.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

$8,170 CA$11.4K

-52.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$6,898 CA$9,593

-49.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$3,092 CA$4,300

1.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.54

-12.69%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for North Vancouver: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,880 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $69.0 in North Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $351 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 Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 2% more on average, 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,880 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 $70.0 versus $69.0 in North Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,797 in North Vancouver – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 11% less than in North Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.