Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and The Valley

For one person, living is cheaper in The Valley: $734 a month against $2,232 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $18,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,232
/mo nomad
The Valley
🇦🇮 Anguilla
$734
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in The Valley

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in The Valley actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,232 in Calgary versus $734 in The Valley.

  • Calgary $2,232
  • The Valley $734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,363 in Calgary versus $1,481 in The Valley.

  • Calgary $3,363
  • The Valley $1,481

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,493 in Calgary versus $2,227 in The Valley.

  • Calgary $4,493
  • The Valley $2,227

Living in Calgary is roughly 204% more expensive than in The Valley, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 67% above, The Valley is 45% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
The Valley
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.22 CA$24.54
$20.34 EC$54.9
-15.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.2 CA$101
$130 EC$352
-45.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.56 CA$15.06
$11.85 EC$31.99
-10.89%
Cappuccino
$3.77 CA$5.38
$5.12 EC$13.83
-26.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 CA$2.73
$3.56 EC$9.62
-46.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 CA$2.63
$3.52 EC$9.50
-47.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.86 CA$6.93
$6.17 EC$16.66
-21.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 CA$7.91
$6.55 EC$17.68
-15.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
The Valley
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 CA$2.68
$2.92 EC$7.89
-35.62%
White Bread (500g)
$2.73 CA$3.89
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.34 CA$7.61
$3.97 EC$10.71
34.51%
Eggs
$3.77 CA$5.37
$4.82 EC$13.01
-21.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.29 CA$16.09
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.34
$13.82 EC$37.32
-17.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.26 CA$26.03
$25.21 EC$68.1
-27.57%
Apples (1kg)
$4.64 CA$6.62
$5.06 EC$13.66
-8.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.05
$3.08 EC$8.31
-53.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.22 CA$6.02
$4.03 EC$10.87
4.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.86 CA$5.50
$4.85 EC$13.10
-20.41%
Potato (1kg)
$2.62 CA$3.74
$4.09 EC$11.06
-35.94%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 CA$3.79
$4.04 EC$10.90
-34.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.59 CA$3.69
$3.89 EC$10.51
-33.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 CA$2.19
$3.02 EC$8.17
-49.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.26 CA$20.32
$10.02 EC$27.06
42.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.27 CA$21.76
$20.59 EC$55.6
-25.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.41 CA$3.44
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.41
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
The Valley
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.88 CA$4.11
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.7 CA$126
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 CA$4.61
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 CA$1.97
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.49 CA$37.75
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 CA$1.68
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K CA$40.3K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7K CA$29.5K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
The Valley
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$159 CA$227
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.61 CA$53.6
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.68 CA$70.8
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
The Valley
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.3 CA$75.9
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.31 CA$26.10
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.08 CA$20.06
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
The Valley
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$809 CA$1,154
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K CA$22.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
The Valley
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.8 CA$83.8
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.84 CA$55.4
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.4 CA$130
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 CA$155
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
The Valley
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,237 CA$1,764
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$996 CA$1,420
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,908 CA$2,720
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 CA$2,382
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,530 CA$5,032
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,336 CA$4,755
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
The Valley
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,130 CA$4,461
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
0
-

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

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Last update for The Valley: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$996
The Valley
–
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$387
The Valley
–
Eating Out
Calgary
$265
The Valley
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$247
The Valley
–
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$134
The Valley
–
Getting Around
Calgary
$110
The Valley
–
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$81
The Valley
–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $130 in The Valley for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $407 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇦🇮 The Valley
🕒 Local time
05:45 5:45 AM
07:45 7:45 AM
2 h ahead of Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
1,200 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.03 XCD (1 XCD = 0.331 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary The Valley 5,760 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • The Valley

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 The Valley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Valley cheaper than Calgary?
The Valley is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, transport, and utilities. The 204% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,349 in Calgary and $1,101 in The Valley to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Calgary and in The Valley?
Shoppers in Calgary pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is eating out cheaper in Calgary or in The Valley?
Dining out is cheaper in The Valley – a meal for two runs $130 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Calgary or in The Valley?
At $734 in The Valley versus $2,232 in Calgary, a $1,500 budget is realistic in The Valley but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes The Valley the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Calgary or in The Valley?
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.
Which city is safer, Calgary or The Valley?
Safety-wise, Calgary and The Valley are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find The Valley gentler on the wallet – expenses run 204% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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