Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Thunder Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Thunder Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,377 in Thunder Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,506 in Thunder Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,634 in Thunder Bay.

Living in Calgary is roughly 4% more expensive than in Thunder Bay, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Thunder Bay 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$18.58 CA$26.15

-1.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$59.9 CA$84.3

16.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$12.47 CA$17.55

-12.19%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$3.73 CA$5.25

0.27%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$1.79 CA$2.53

13.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.52 CA$2.14

9.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$5.33 CA$7.50

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$5.26 CA$7.41

27.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$2.55 CA$3.58

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.54 CA$3.58

8.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$3.50 CA$4.92

-7.71%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$3.57 CA$5.02

-3.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$17.42 CA$24.51

-17.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$16.40 CA$23.08

-21.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$18.17 CA$25.57

-12.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$3.48 CA$4.89

23.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.29 CA$1.81

3.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$3.95 CA$5.55

-2.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$3.75 CA$5.28

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$2.61 CA$3.67

-2.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$2.22 CA$3.12

18.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$3.10 CA$4.37

-9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$2.21 CA$3.11

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$11.15 CA$15.69

34.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$8.91 CA$12.54

56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$2.12 CA$2.99

37.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$2.85 CA$4.01

37.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$2.46 CA$3.46

11.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$63.7 CA$89.7

37.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.24 CA$4.57

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.98 CA$2.78

-34.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$25.49 CA$35.87

12.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.17 CA$1.65

-4.27%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$25.5K CA$35.9K

-0.02%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$20.5K CA$28.8K

6.18%

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

$213 CA$300

$201 CA$283

5.99%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$59.8 CA$84.1

-31.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$99.9 CA$141

-42.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$30.65 CA$43.13

76.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$18.19 CA$25.59

195.49%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$13.50 CA$19.00

-6.44%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$738 CA$1,038

18.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$11.7K CA$16.5K

35.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$60.3 CA$84.8

-2.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$36.01 CA$50.7

30.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$74.9 CA$105

13.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$139 CA$196

-22.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$1,045 CA$1,470

32.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$1,034 CA$1,455

12.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$1,863 CA$2,622

24.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$1,820 CA$2,561

4.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$2,854 CA$4,015

3.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.19

-7.75%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Thunder Bay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $1,045 in Thunder Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 3% 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 $60.0 in Thunder Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $413, with Calgary 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 Thunder Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thunder Bay is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% 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 $1,045 in Thunder Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Thunder Bay – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $2,377 in Thunder Bay – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,377 in Thunder Bay versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Thunder Bay but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Thunder Bay 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 Thunder Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.