Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Prince George Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Prince George

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,510 in Calgary versus $2,238 in Prince George.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,653 in Calgary versus $3,409 in Prince George.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,581 in Prince George.

Living in Calgary is roughly 12% more expensive than Prince George, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, Prince George 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.65 CA$25.54

$18.19 CA$24.93

2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$97.4

$74.0 CA$101

-3.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 CA$14.82

$8.66 CA$11.86

24.94%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$3.99 CA$5.47

-4.76%

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

$2.05 CA$2.81

$2.28 CA$3.12

-10.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.29

$2.33 CA$3.19

-28.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.15

$5.87 CA$8.05

-11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.84

$8.40 CA$11.51

-23.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.04

$2.02 CA$2.77

9.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.35 CA$3.22

18.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.67

$4.87 CA$6.67

-29.98%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.75

$5.12 CA$7.01

-32.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.75

$6.80 CA$9.32

112.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.61

$13.27 CA$18.18

-3.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 CA$22.25

$17.02 CA$23.32

-4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.33 CA$5.93

3.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$2.90 CA$3.98

-55.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$5.06 CA$6.94

-26.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.86

$5.34 CA$7.32

-20.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.66

$3.12 CA$4.27

-14.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.98 CA$4.09

-10.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.76

$3.07 CA$4.20

-10.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CA$2.69

$2.86 CA$3.92

-31.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 CA$19.94

$15.04 CA$20.61

-3.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 CA$20.09

$11.14 CA$15.27

31.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.86

$5.52 CA$7.56

-49.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.47

$3.01 CA$4.13

32.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$2.80 CA$3.83

-2.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.7 CA$119

$44.91 CA$61.5

92.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 CA$4.90

$4.15 CA$5.69

-13.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CA$1.77

$1.47 CA$2.02

-12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.58 CA$39.15

$25.79 CA$35.33

10.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$1.27 CA$1.73

-14.96%

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

$25.4K CA$34.8K

$25.7K CA$35.1K

-0.85%

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

$21.6K CA$29.5K

$22.2K CA$30.5K

-3.04%

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

$215 CA$294

$174 CA$238

23.45%

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

$40.83 CA$55.9

$49.44 CA$67.7

-17.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$79.4

$61.5 CA$84.3

-5.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 CA$74.0

$45.36 CA$62.2

19.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.7 CA$70.9

$18.14 CA$24.85

185.12%

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 CA$17.21

$9.27 CA$12.70

35.49%

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

$871 CA$1,193

$606 CA$831

43.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.1K

$11.8K CA$16.2K

36.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$80.3

$63.1 CA$86.5

-7.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.97 CA$64.4

$40.34 CA$55.3

16.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$96.7 CA$132

-10.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$150

$152 CA$208

-28.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 CA$1,901

$956 CA$1,309

45.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,618

$927 CA$1,269

27.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 CA$3,202

$1,760 CA$2,412

32.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,583

$1,594 CA$2,184

18.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,823 CA$5,237

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,596 CA$4,926

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,125 CA$4,281

$3,224 CA$4,416

-3.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.32

-9.65%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 25, 2026

Last update for Prince George: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,388 in Calgary and $956 in Prince George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Prince George pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $74.0 in Prince George for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $425 per month, with Calgary 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 Prince George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Prince George is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Prince George earns 3% less. 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: $1,388 in Calgary versus $956 in Prince George. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Prince George – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,510 per month in Calgary versus $2,238 in Prince George – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,238 in Prince George versus $2,510 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Prince George but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Prince George 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.

Expats usually find Prince George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.