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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $1,886 in Quebec City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Calgary versus $2,916 in Quebec City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Calgary versus $3,947 in Quebec City.

Living in Calgary is roughly 24% more expensive than in Quebec City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Quebec City 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 CA$24.74

$20.07 CA$28.08

-11.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.6

$67.0 CA$93.7

6.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.18

$11.45 CA$16.02

-5.24%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.39

$3.80 CA$5.32

1.32%

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

$1.95 CA$2.73

$2.17 CA$3.04

-10.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.50 CA$2.10

19.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 CA$6.95

$5.85 CA$8.18

-15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$5.79 CA$8.10

1.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.58

$2.17 CA$3.04

-15.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$2.88 CA$4.03

-5.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 CA$7.60

$4.11 CA$5.75

32.36%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$3.18 CA$4.45

14.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 CA$16.15

$9.15 CA$12.80

26.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.19

$10.88 CA$15.22

6.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 CA$26.50

$10.48 CA$14.66

80.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.92

$4.35 CA$6.08

13.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.54 CA$2.15

-7.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$3.77 CA$5.27

11.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$4.06 CA$5.68

0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.99 CA$4.19

-14.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$2.92 CA$4.08

-3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.84 CA$3.97

-9.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.46 CA$2.05

6.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 CA$20.41

$15.16 CA$21.21

-3.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 CA$21.83

$11.73 CA$16.41

32.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$3.17 CA$4.43

-18.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$3.49 CA$4.88

-7.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.94 CA$4.11

0.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

$72.3 CA$101

26.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$2.92 CA$4.09

8.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.45 CA$2.03

-4.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.67 CA$38.70

$35.17 CA$49.19

-21.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.30 CA$1.82

-3.85%

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

$28.3K CA$39.6K

$28.9K CA$40.4K

-1.89%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

-1.95%

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

$178 CA$249

$102 CA$142

75.03%

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

$39.31 CA$55.0

$32.20 CA$45.05

22.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CA$71.2

$45.88 CA$64.2

10.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.5

$36.94 CA$51.7

48.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

$15.28 CA$21.38

22.84%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 CA$20.36

$11.10 CA$15.53

31.08%

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

$812 CA$1,135

$707 CA$990

14.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

$9,276 CA$13.0K

77.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 CA$83.1

$61.2 CA$85.6

-2.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.4

$52.5 CA$73.4

-23.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 CA$129

$91.7 CA$128

0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$110 CA$154

2.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,796

$1,030 CA$1,440

24.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,424

$773 CA$1,081

31.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,766

$1,591 CA$2,226

24.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,443

$1,287 CA$1,800

35.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

$5,225 CA$7,309

-31.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

$2,758 CA$3,859

21.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 CA$4,495

$3,054 CA$4,272

5.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.45

0.67%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Quebec City: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Calgary and $1,030 in Quebec City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 5% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $67.0 in Quebec City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $349 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $1,284 in Calgary versus $1,030 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 $67.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,344 per month in Calgary versus $1,886 in Quebec City – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,886 in Quebec City versus $2,344 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 24% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.