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: $2,433 in Calgary versus $1,847 in Thompson.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $2,781 in Thompson.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $3,716 in Thompson.

Living in Calgary is roughly 32% more expensive than Thompson, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Thompson 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$16.61 CA$22.76

9.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$71.3 CA$97.7

-1.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$11.25 CA$15.42

-2.13%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.88 CA$5.32

-3.87%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.71 CA$2.34

-3.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$5.54 CA$7.60

-4.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$6.04 CA$8.28

10.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.11 CA$2.89

1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.54 CA$4.85

-3.95%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$3.36 CA$4.61

-2.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$11.33 CA$15.52

29.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$11.96 CA$16.38

5.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$14.48 CA$19.84

11.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.00 CA$5.48

11.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.41 CA$1.93

-4.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.58 CA$4.90

4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.73 CA$5.12

15.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$2.47 CA$3.39

8.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.56 CA$3.51

1.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.60 CA$3.56

5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.79 CA$2.45

6.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$13.86 CA$18.98

8.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$13.08 CA$17.92

9.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$2.90 CA$3.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.10 CA$4.25

28.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.44 CA$3.34

9.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$62.9 CA$86.2

39.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.15 CA$4.31

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.48 CA$2.03

-9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$25.65 CA$35.13

14.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.18 CA$1.61

-4.24%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$24.8K CA$34.0K

1.10%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$20.5K CA$28.0K

8.57%

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

$218 CA$299

$143 CA$196

52.09%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$43.17 CA$59.1

-4.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$63.4 CA$86.8

-8.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$41.30 CA$56.6

30.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$11.24 CA$15.39

12.63%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$749 CA$1,026

18.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$11.7K CA$16.1K

36.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$55.0 CA$75.4

5.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$39.03 CA$53.5

23.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$85.4 CA$117

3.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$105 CA$144

0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$695 CA$952

100.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$709 CA$971

67.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$1,160 CA$1,589

97.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,141 CA$1,563

62.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$4,455 CA$6,103

-15.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$3,442 CA$4,715

1.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$1,591 CA$2,180

95.92%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Thompson: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $695 in Thompson. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 96% 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 $71 in Thompson. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $366, with Thompson cheaper for home cooking.

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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 96% 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 $695 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 $71.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $1,847 in Thompson – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,847 in Thompson versus $2,433 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 32% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.