Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Quebec City Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Quebec City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $1,960 in Quebec City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $2,898 in Quebec City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $3,837 in Quebec City.

Living in Calgary is roughly 29% more expensive than Quebec City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Quebec City 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.83

$16.70 CA$23.20

11.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.3

$65.4 CA$90.8

7.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.22

$11.15 CA$15.50

-1.70%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.79 CA$5.26

-1.58%

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

$1.99 CA$2.76

$2.04 CA$2.84

-2.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.46 CA$2.02

17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$5.93 CA$8.24

-15.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.04

$6.28 CA$8.73

3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.11 CA$2.93

5.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$3.31 CA$4.59

-19.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.53

$4.27 CA$5.93

-23.65%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.11 CA$4.32

7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.14

$12.79 CA$17.77

13.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.99

$10.80 CA$15.01

19.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.44

$14.15 CA$19.66

14.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.00

$3.98 CA$5.52

8.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.68 CA$2.33

-19.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$4.22 CA$5.86

-9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$4.11 CA$5.70

1.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$1.89 CA$2.62

40.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.51 CA$3.49

9.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.64 CA$3.67

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.58 CA$2.20

23.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.81

$12.86 CA$17.87

16.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.38

$11.59 CA$16.11

26.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$3.13 CA$4.35

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.58

$3.92 CA$5.44

2.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.82 CA$3.91

-0.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$68.9 CA$95.8

25.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.00

$3.78 CA$5.26

-4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$2.26 CA$3.15

-41.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.31

$31.35 CA$43.56

-7.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.24 CA$1.73

-9.68%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

-0.18%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$19.7K CA$27.4K

11.48%

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

$217 CA$302

$86.9 CA$121

150.05%

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

$41.55 CA$57.7

$38.53 CA$53.5

7.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.7

$44.57 CA$61.9

30.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.0

$42.03 CA$58.4

30.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.4

$14.63 CA$20.33

261.04%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.74

$10.88 CA$15.12

17.37%

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

$874 CA$1,214

$845 CA$1,175

3.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$6,217 CA$8,638

156.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.7

$61.4 CA$85.3

-4.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$53.6 CA$74.5

-13.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$113 CA$157

-22.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$128 CA$178

-15.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,964

$905 CA$1,258

56.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,629

$829 CA$1,152

41.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,222

$1,505 CA$2,090

54.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,621

$1,157 CA$1,608

63.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,407

$5,881 CA$8,171

-33.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,867

$2,842 CA$3,948

23.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,375

$2,832 CA$3,934

11.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.87

-16.89%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Quebec City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $905 in Quebec City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 11% 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 $65.0 in Quebec City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $373 per month, with Quebec City 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 Quebec City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quebec City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 11% more on average, 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $905 in Quebec City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Quebec City – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $1,960 in Quebec City – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,960 in Quebec City versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quebec City but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Quebec City 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 Quebec City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.