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: $2,517 in Calgary versus $2,235 in Prince George.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,646 in Calgary versus $3,385 in Prince George.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,776 in Calgary versus $4,536 in Prince George.

Living in Calgary is roughly 13% more expensive than Prince George, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, Prince George 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.37 CA$25.65

$18.33 CA$25.59

0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 CA$97.4

$72.3 CA$101

-3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.19

$8.52 CA$11.89

27.70%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.16

$3.99 CA$5.58

-7.52%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$2.25 CA$3.15

-9.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.43

$2.34 CA$3.27

-25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.40

$5.85 CA$8.16

-9.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.42

$8.32 CA$11.62

-18.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$1.97 CA$2.75

13.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.75

$2.45 CA$3.42

9.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.68

$4.85 CA$6.78

-30.93%

Eggs

$3.33 CA$4.65

$5.05 CA$7.05

-34.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 CA$20.12

$6.54 CA$9.14

120.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 CA$17.46

$13.13 CA$18.33

-4.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 CA$22.81

$16.84 CA$23.52

-3.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.98

$4.29 CA$5.99

-0.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$2.81 CA$3.92

-51.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.22

$5.17 CA$7.22

-27.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.83

$5.15 CA$7.20

-19.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$3.09 CA$4.31

-17.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$3.02 CA$4.22

-11.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.71

$3.04 CA$4.24

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$2.96 CA$4.14

-36.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.47

$14.81 CA$20.69

-1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.87

$10.68 CA$14.91

33.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$5.57 CA$7.77

-47.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 CA$5.44

$2.88 CA$4.02

35.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 CA$3.79

$2.80 CA$3.90

-3.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$122

$43.66 CA$61.0

100.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 CA$4.83

$4.21 CA$5.88

-17.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.50 CA$2.09

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.30 CA$39.52

$25.33 CA$35.38

11.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.27 CA$1.77

-14.17%

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

$25.0K CA$34.9K

$25.4K CA$35.4K

-1.35%

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

$22.2K CA$31.0K

$22.1K CA$30.9K

0.38%

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

$211 CA$295

$175 CA$245

20.36%

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

$40.40 CA$56.4

$48.77 CA$68.1

-17.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CA$81.7

$61.4 CA$85.8

-4.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 CA$75.1

$44.26 CA$61.8

21.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.2

$18.28 CA$25.53

194.42%

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 CA$17.66

$9.28 CA$12.95

36.21%

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

$865 CA$1,208

$595 CA$832

45.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.4K

$11.7K CA$16.3K

37.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$81.1

$63.0 CA$88.0

-7.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.18 CA$65.9

$40.91 CA$57.1

15.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 CA$119

$96.0 CA$134

-10.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$152 CA$212

-30.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 CA$1,977

$973 CA$1,358

45.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 CA$1,611

$911 CA$1,273

26.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,370 CA$3,309

$1,742 CA$2,433

36.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 CA$2,603

$1,618 CA$2,260

15.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,834 CA$5,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,443 CA$4,808

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,105 CA$4,337

$3,137 CA$4,381

-1.01%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Prince George: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,416 in Calgary and $973 in Prince George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Prince George 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 $72.0 in Prince George for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $422 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 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Prince George earns 1% 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: $1,416 in Calgary versus $973 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 $72.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,517 per month in Calgary versus $2,235 in Prince George – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,235 in Prince George versus $2,517 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 13% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.