Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Parksville Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Parksville

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,228 in Parksville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,495 in Parksville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,762 in Parksville.

Living in Calgary is roughly 10% more expensive than in Parksville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Parksville 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$16.81 CA$23.65

9.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$72.8 CA$102

-3.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$9.46 CA$13.30

15.75%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$3.67 CA$5.17

1.91%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$2.08 CA$2.92

-1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.31 CA$1.84

27.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$5.57 CA$7.84

-6.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$5.84 CA$8.22

14.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$2.19 CA$3.08

2.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.32 CA$3.26

18.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$2.72 CA$3.82

18.75%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$3.14 CA$4.41

9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$9.51 CA$13.38

51.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$10.42 CA$14.66

23.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$10.07 CA$14.17

57.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$3.08 CA$4.34

39.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.44 CA$2.03

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$2.60 CA$3.66

48.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$3.95 CA$5.56

7.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$2.57 CA$3.62

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$2.13 CA$3.00

23.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$1.91 CA$2.69

46.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.17 CA$1.64

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$16.62 CA$23.39

-9.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$14.22 CA$20.00

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$2.25 CA$3.16

29.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$2.25 CA$3.16

73.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$2.65 CA$3.73

3.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$62.4 CA$87.8

40.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.28 CA$4.61

9.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.34 CA$1.88

-2.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$16.22 CA$22.82

76.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.30 CA$1.83

-13.85%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$23.8K CA$33.5K

7.09%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$19.9K CA$28.1K

9.01%

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

$213 CA$300

$110 CA$155

93.38%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$45.55 CA$64.1

-10.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$44.75 CA$63.0

29.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$59.4 CA$83.6

-8.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$18.35 CA$25.83

192.92%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$12.24 CA$17.23

3.19%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$871 CA$1,226

0.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$11.0K CA$15.4K

44.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$47.24 CA$66.5

24.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$34.46 CA$48.49

36.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$93.1 CA$131

-8.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$116 CA$163

-6.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$1,368 CA$1,925

0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$1,187 CA$1,670

-2.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$2,410 CA$3,390

-3.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$2,271 CA$3,196

-16.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

$1,838 CA$2,586

91.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$2,839 CA$3,994

3.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.08

-6.09%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Parksville: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $1,368 in Parksville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 4% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $73.0 in Parksville. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $311, with Parksville 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 Parksville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Parksville is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $1,368 in Parksville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Parksville – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $2,228 in Parksville – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,228 in Parksville versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Parksville but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Parksville 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 Parksville 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 Parksville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.