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: $2,433 in Calgary versus $1,320 in Saguenay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $2,369 in Saguenay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $3,418 in Saguenay.

Living in Calgary is roughly 84% more expensive than Saguenay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 81% above, Saguenay is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$13.38 CA$18.34

36.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$44.87 CA$61.5

56.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$11.13 CA$15.25

-1.08%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.78 CA$5.18

-1.32%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.52 CA$2.08

30.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.30 CA$1.78

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$5.39 CA$7.39

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$5.29 CA$7.25

25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.17 CA$2.97

-0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.98 CA$4.08

-10.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$4.45 CA$6.09

-23.60%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$2.53 CA$3.47

29.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$12.77 CA$17.50

14.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$8.89 CA$12.19

41.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$13.86 CA$18.99

16.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.15 CA$5.68

7.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.32 CA$1.81

1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$4.13 CA$5.66

-9.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$4.10 CA$5.61

4.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$1.84 CA$2.53

45.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$1.65 CA$2.26

58.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.61 CA$3.58

4.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$0.84 CA$1.15

126.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$12.16 CA$16.66

23.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$11.04 CA$15.13

29.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$3.09 CA$4.23

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$1.97 CA$2.71

101.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.71 CA$3.72

-1.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$56.1 CA$76.8

56.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.64 CA$4.99

-1.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$2.03 CA$2.78

-33.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$30.86 CA$42.28

-5.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.16 CA$1.59

-2.59%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.2K CA$34.5K

-0.19%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$20.5K CA$28.1K

8.37%

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

$218 CA$299

$86.1 CA$118

153.18%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$38.78 CA$53.1

6.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$43.45 CA$59.5

33.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$32.59 CA$44.65

64.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

$14.01 CA$19.20

273.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$9.55 CA$13.09

32.57%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$600 CA$822

47.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$6,285 CA$8,611

155.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$60.5 CA$82.9

-3.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$52.7 CA$72.2

-8.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$97.1 CA$133

-9.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$129 CA$177

-17.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$614 CA$841

127.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$295 CA$404

301.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$1,308 CA$1,792

75.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,089 CA$1,492

70.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$5,853 CA$8,019

-35.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$3,609 CA$4,944

-2.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$2,650 CA$3,630

17.66%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Saguenay: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $614 in Saguenay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 18% 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 in Calgary vs $45 in Saguenay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $340 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 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 18% 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: $1,396 in Calgary versus $614 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 $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $1,320 in Saguenay – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,320 in Saguenay versus $2,433 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 84% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.