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: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,413 in Thunder Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,528 in Thunder Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,642 in Thunder Bay.

Living in Calgary is roughly 5% more expensive than Thunder Bay, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Thunder Bay 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.83

$18.24 CA$25.34

1.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.3

$59.3 CA$82.3

18.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.22

$12.65 CA$17.58

-13.36%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.64 CA$5.06

2.47%

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

$1.99 CA$2.76

$1.86 CA$2.58

6.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.48 CA$2.06

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$5.43 CA$7.55

-7.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.04

$5.06 CA$7.03

28.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.43 CA$3.38

-8.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.45 CA$3.41

8.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.53

$3.39 CA$4.71

-3.83%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.62 CA$5.04

-7.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.14

$17.19 CA$23.88

-15.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$17.99

$16.50 CA$22.93

-21.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.44

$18.17 CA$25.24

-11.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.00

$3.44 CA$4.78

25.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.33 CA$1.85

1.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$3.92 CA$5.45

-2.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.58 CA$4.98

16.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.70 CA$3.76

-1.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.14 CA$2.98

28.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$3.12 CA$4.33

-11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$2.11 CA$2.93

-7.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.81

$11.24 CA$15.62

33.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.38

$9.22 CA$12.80

59.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$2.04 CA$2.84

39.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.58

$2.73 CA$3.79

47.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$2.46 CA$3.42

13.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$62.9 CA$87.4

37.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.00

$3.30 CA$4.58

9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$2.02 CA$2.81

-34.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.31

$25.84 CA$35.90

12.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.16 CA$1.61

-3.45%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$25.3K CA$35.2K

-1.86%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$19.9K CA$27.7K

10.17%

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

$217 CA$302

$199 CA$276

9.26%

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

$41.55 CA$57.7

$60.1 CA$83.6

-30.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.7

$97.9 CA$136

-40.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.0

$30.22 CA$41.99

81.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.4

$18.76 CA$26.06

181.56%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.74

$13.36 CA$18.56

-4.42%

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

$874 CA$1,214

$750 CA$1,042

16.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

$11.6K CA$16.1K

37.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.7

$59.1 CA$82.1

-0.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$35.69 CA$49.59

30.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$75.6 CA$105

15.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$138 CA$192

-21.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,964

$1,036 CA$1,439

36.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,629

$1,059 CA$1,471

10.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,222

$1,884 CA$2,618

23.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,621

$1,799 CA$2,499

4.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,407

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,867

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,375

$2,908 CA$4,040

8.29%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Thunder Bay: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,036 in Thunder Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 8% 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 $59.0 in Thunder Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $409, 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 Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 8% 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 $1,036 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 $59.0 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 $2,413 in Thunder Bay – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,413 in Thunder Bay versus $2,523 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 5% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.