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: $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,360 in Peterborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,270 in Peterborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,180 in Peterborough.

Living in Calgary is roughly 4% more expensive than in Peterborough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Peterborough 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$14.88 CA$20.93

23.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$74.7 CA$105

-6.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$11.22 CA$15.78

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$4.05 CA$5.69

-7.65%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$1.72 CA$2.42

18.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.45 CA$2.04

15.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$5.84 CA$8.22

-10.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$6.02 CA$8.47

11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$2.28 CA$3.21

-1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.40 CA$3.37

14.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$2.66 CA$3.75

21.43%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$3.17 CA$4.46

8.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$9.99 CA$14.06

44.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$11.32 CA$15.92

13.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$14.65 CA$20.62

8.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$3.60 CA$5.06

19.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.24 CA$1.75

8.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$2.88 CA$4.05

33.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$3.51 CA$4.93

21.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$1.58 CA$2.23

61.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$2.59 CA$3.64

1.16%

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

$1.62 CA$2.28

20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$12.26 CA$17.25

22.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$12.93 CA$18.20

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$2.56 CA$3.60

14.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$1.80 CA$2.53

117.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$1.96 CA$2.76

39.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$53.4 CA$75.2

64.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.17 CA$4.47

13.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$0.69 CA$0.97

88.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$21.88 CA$30.79

31.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.09 CA$1.54

2.75%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$24.5K CA$34.5K

3.81%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$21.1K CA$29.6K

3.21%

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

$213 CA$300

$177 CA$248

20.66%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$42.05 CA$59.2

-2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$52.6 CA$74.0

10.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$46.96 CA$66.1

15.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$14.48 CA$20.37

271.20%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$14.22 CA$20.01

-11.18%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$426 CA$599

105.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$11.0K CA$15.5K

43.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$46.29 CA$65.1

26.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$29.18 CA$41.06

61.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$82.5 CA$116

3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$84.1 CA$118

28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$1,396 CA$1,964

-1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$1,241 CA$1,746

-6.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$1,680 CA$2,364

38.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$1,670 CA$2,350

14.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

$6,557 CA$9,226

-42.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

$6,244 CA$8,786

-43.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$2,977 CA$4,189

-1.26%

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 Peterborough: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $1,396 in Peterborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Peterborough pays 1% 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 $75.0 in Peterborough. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $334, 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Peterborough. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,380 in Calgary versus $1,396 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 $75.0 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 $2,360 in Peterborough – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,360 in Peterborough versus $2,462 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 4% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.