Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Peterborough Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Peterborough

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,277 in Peterborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $3,258 in Peterborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $4,238 in Peterborough.

Living in Calgary is roughly 3% more expensive than in Peterborough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Peterborough 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$13.41 CA$18.76

31.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$72.4 CA$101

-1.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$10.69 CA$14.95

1.50%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$3.71 CA$5.18

3.77%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$1.80 CA$2.52

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.46 CA$2.04

22.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$5.88 CA$8.23

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$5.69 CA$7.95

3.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$2.58 CA$3.61

-28.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$2.39 CA$3.34

14.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.60

$2.48 CA$3.46

119.35%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$3.24 CA$4.53

12.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$11.36 CA$15.90

1.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$11.43 CA$15.99

1.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.50

$13.85 CA$19.38

36.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$3.35 CA$4.69

47.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.46 CA$2.04

-2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$3.39 CA$4.75

24.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$4.12 CA$5.76

-0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$1.89 CA$2.64

35.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$2.30 CA$3.21

22.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.29 CA$3.20

12.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.50 CA$2.10

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$11.43 CA$15.99

27.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$13.13 CA$18.37

18.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$2.34 CA$3.27

10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$1.58 CA$2.20

104.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.40 CA$3.36

23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$46.75 CA$65.4

94.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$3.11 CA$4.35

1.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.25 CA$1.75

11.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

$21.52 CA$30.11

28.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.13 CA$1.58

10.62%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$28.6K CA$40.0K

-0.90%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$19.7K CA$27.5K

8.29%

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

$178 CA$249

$144 CA$201

23.84%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$35.09 CA$49.09

12.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$46.90 CA$65.6

8.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.5

$45.78 CA$64.1

19.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

$14.43 CA$20.18

30.08%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$11.64 CA$16.29

25.00%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$354 CA$495

129.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

$10.7K CA$15.0K

52.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$42.75 CA$59.8

38.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$39.24 CA$54.9

2.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$86.7 CA$121

6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$74.6 CA$104

51.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$1,414 CA$1,977

-9.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,424

$1,235 CA$1,727

-17.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,766

$2,085 CA$2,916

-5.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$1,833 CA$2,564

-4.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$6,705 CA$9,379

-46.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

$6,380 CA$8,924

-47.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

$2,990 CA$4,183

7.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.51

-0.67%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Peterborough: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $1,414 in Peterborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 7% 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 $72.0 in Peterborough. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $344, with Peterborough 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 Peterborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Peterborough is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% 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 $1,414 in Peterborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Peterborough – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. 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 $2,277 in Peterborough – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,277 in Peterborough versus $2,344 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Peterborough but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Peterborough the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Peterborough is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Calgary, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Peterborough gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.