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: $2,481 in Calgary versus $2,228 in Prince George.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,599 in Calgary versus $3,349 in Prince George.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Calgary versus $4,470 in Prince George.

Living in Calgary is roughly 11% more expensive than in Prince George, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 86% above, Prince George 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 CA$26.12

$18.09 CA$25.35

3.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$98.5

$73.0 CA$102

-3.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.26 CA$15.78

$8.70 CA$12.19

29.43%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.87 CA$5.43

-4.39%

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

$2.05 CA$2.88

$2.26 CA$3.17

-9.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$2.34 CA$3.28

-28.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.37

$5.97 CA$8.37

-11.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.44

$8.45 CA$11.84

-20.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$2.01 CA$2.82

10.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.86

$2.34 CA$3.28

17.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.60

$4.82 CA$6.76

-31.95%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.77

$5.12 CA$7.18

-33.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 CA$20.25

$6.65 CA$9.33

117.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.58 CA$17.63

$13.12 CA$18.39

-4.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.85 CA$22.20

$16.55 CA$23.19

-4.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.19

$4.14 CA$5.80

6.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$2.90 CA$4.07

-53.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.38

$5.22 CA$7.31

-26.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.07

$5.16 CA$7.24

-16.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$3.09 CA$4.34

-17.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$2.98 CA$4.17

-8.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$3.21 CA$4.50

-16.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.66

$2.87 CA$4.03

-33.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.75

$14.88 CA$20.86

-0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 CA$20.22

$10.79 CA$15.12

33.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$5.55 CA$7.78

-47.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$2.89 CA$4.05

37.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.79

$2.70 CA$3.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 CA$124

$44.38 CA$62.2

99.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.80

$4.16 CA$5.83

-17.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.48 CA$2.07

-11.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.41 CA$39.82

$25.56 CA$35.82

11.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.26 CA$1.77

-11.11%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

-2.27%

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

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$22.0K CA$30.8K

-1.11%

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

$210 CA$295

$178 CA$249

18.43%

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

$41.33 CA$57.9

$49.97 CA$70.0

-17.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$81.1

$61.4 CA$86.1

-5.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 CA$77.5

$45.07 CA$63.2

22.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.2 CA$73.2

$18.27 CA$25.60

185.93%

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.47

$9.47 CA$13.27

31.68%

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

$886 CA$1,242

$609 CA$854

45.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$12.0K CA$16.8K

33.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$82.8

$62.5 CA$87.6

-5.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.08 CA$66.0

$40.17 CA$56.3

17.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 CA$122

$97.7 CA$137

-10.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$157 CA$220

-30.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 CA$1,982

$977 CA$1,369

44.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 CA$1,654

$914 CA$1,280

29.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 CA$3,327

$1,730 CA$2,425

37.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CA$2,599

$1,629 CA$2,283

13.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,755 CA$5,262

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,479 CA$4,875

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,035 CA$4,253

$3,017 CA$4,227

0.61%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Prince George: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,415 in Calgary and $977 in Prince George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 1% 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 Prince George for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $421 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 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1% 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: $1,415 in Calgary versus $977 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 $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 $2,481 per month in Calgary versus $2,228 in Prince George – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,228 in Prince George versus $2,481 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 11% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.