Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Saguenay Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Saguenay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $1,332 in Saguenay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $2,353 in Saguenay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $3,374 in Saguenay.

Living in Calgary is roughly 85% more expensive than in Saguenay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Saguenay 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$13.01 CA$18.31

40.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$44.95 CA$63.3

55.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$11.22 CA$15.79

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$3.91 CA$5.50

-4.35%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$1.52 CA$2.13

34.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.27 CA$1.79

31.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$5.59 CA$7.86

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$5.09 CA$7.16

31.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$2.18 CA$3.07

3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.98 CA$4.19

-7.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$4.45 CA$6.27

-27.42%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$2.60 CA$3.66

32.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$12.81 CA$18.02

12.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$8.59 CA$12.08

50.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$13.73 CA$19.32

15.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$3.99 CA$5.61

7.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.25 CA$1.76

7.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$3.95 CA$5.56

-2.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$3.96 CA$5.57

7.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$1.96 CA$2.75

30.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$1.59 CA$2.24

64.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$2.59 CA$3.64

8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$0.82 CA$1.16

137.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$11.92 CA$16.77

25.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$11.24 CA$15.82

23.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$3.07 CA$4.32

-4.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$2.00 CA$2.81

95.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$2.82 CA$3.97

-2.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$56.8 CA$79.9

54.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.66 CA$5.15

-1.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.95 CA$2.75

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$31.28 CA$44.02

-8.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.15 CA$1.62

-2.61%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$25.0K CA$35.2K

1.72%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$20.3K CA$28.6K

7.07%

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

$213 CA$300

$87.2 CA$123

144.20%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$38.88 CA$54.7

5.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$43.25 CA$60.9

33.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$33.57 CA$47.24

61.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$14.11 CA$19.85

280.94%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$9.74 CA$13.70

29.67%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$613 CA$863

42.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$6,342 CA$8,923

150.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$60.2 CA$84.6

-2.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$53.1 CA$74.8

-11.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$96.1 CA$135

-11.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$128 CA$180

-15.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$613 CA$862

125.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$300 CA$422

286.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$1,299 CA$1,827

78.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$1,065 CA$1,498

78.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

$5,707 CA$8,031

-33.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

$3,425 CA$4,820

2.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$2,588 CA$3,642

13.58%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Saguenay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $613 in Saguenay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 14% 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 $45.00 in Saguenay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $337 per month, with Saguenay 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 Saguenay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saguenay is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 14% 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $613 in Saguenay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saguenay – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $1,332 in Saguenay – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,332 in Saguenay versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saguenay but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Saguenay 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 Saguenay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.