Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Thompson Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Thompson

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,523 in Calgary versus $1,822 in Thompson.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $2,820 in Thompson.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $3,818 in Thompson.

Living in Calgary is roughly 38% more expensive than Thompson, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Thompson 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.91

$16.64 CA$23.19

11.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.6

$69.3 CA$96.6

1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.27

$11.02 CA$15.36

-0.54%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.20

$3.83 CA$5.34

-2.61%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$1.96 CA$2.73

1.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.72 CA$2.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.99

$5.69 CA$7.92

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.06

$5.87 CA$8.18

10.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.10

$2.13 CA$2.97

4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.72

$2.68 CA$3.74

-0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.55

$3.69 CA$5.14

-11.65%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.67

$3.40 CA$4.74

-1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.21

$11.19 CA$15.59

29.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.04

$11.59 CA$16.15

11.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.51

$14.93 CA$20.81

8.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.02

$4.14 CA$5.77

4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.36 CA$1.89

-0.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$3.70 CA$5.15

3.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.83

$3.77 CA$5.26

10.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.69

$2.49 CA$3.46

6.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.82

$2.48 CA$3.46

10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.85

$2.53 CA$3.52

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.72

$1.76 CA$2.46

10.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.88

$13.93 CA$19.41

7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.45

$12.80 CA$17.84

14.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.96

$2.95 CA$4.11

-3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.60

$3.11 CA$4.34

29.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.41 CA$3.36

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$63.1 CA$87.9

36.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.02

$3.19 CA$4.45

12.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.84

$1.49 CA$2.08

-11.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.43

$25.88 CA$36.06

12.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.18 CA$1.64

-5.08%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$25.0K CA$34.9K

-0.61%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$20.5K CA$28.6K

7.25%

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

$217 CA$303

$145 CA$202

49.62%

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

$41.55 CA$57.9

$43.67 CA$60.9

-4.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.9

$62.5 CA$87.1

-7.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.3

$41.25 CA$57.5

32.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.6

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.79

$11.28 CA$15.72

13.21%

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

$874 CA$1,218

$732 CA$1,021

19.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$11.9K CA$16.6K

34.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$82.0

$54.5 CA$75.9

8.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.8

$40.02 CA$55.8

16.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$86.4 CA$120

0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$152

$108 CA$150

1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,970

$709 CA$988

99.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,634

$706 CA$984

66.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,232

$1,179 CA$1,643

96.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,629

$1,139 CA$1,587

65.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,424

$5,173 CA$7,210

-24.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,882

$3,846 CA$5,360

-8.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,389

$1,588 CA$2,213

98.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.46

-11.61%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Thompson: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $709 in Thompson. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 98% 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 $69.0 in Thompson for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $366 per month, with Thompson 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 Thompson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thompson is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 98% 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 $709 in Thompson. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Thompson – a meal for two runs $69.0 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 $1,822 in Thompson – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,822 in Thompson versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Thompson but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Thompson 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 Thompson gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.