Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Tofino

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,303 a month against $2,425 in Tofino, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Tofino outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Calgary, Canada
Tofino, Canada
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,303
/mo nomad
Tofino
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,425
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Tofino

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 Tofino actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,303 in Calgary versus $2,425 in Tofino.

  • Calgary $2,303
  • Tofino $2,425

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,366 in Calgary versus $4,172 in Tofino.

  • Calgary $3,366
  • Tofino $4,172

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,428 in Calgary versus $5,919 in Tofino.

  • Calgary $4,428
  • Tofino $5,919

Living in Calgary costs roughly 5% less than in Tofino, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 69% above, Tofino 78% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calgary
Tofino
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.55 CA$24.55
$19.50 CA$27.27
-10.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.4 CA$98.5
$71.0 CA$99.3
-0.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.69 CA$14.95
$10.92 CA$15.27
-2.11%
Cappuccino
$3.89 CA$5.44
$4.30 CA$6.02
-9.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 CA$2.85
$2.28 CA$3.19
-10.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 CA$2.63
$1.87 CA$2.62
0.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.90 CA$6.85
$5.59 CA$7.82
-12.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.78 CA$8.09
$5.86 CA$8.19
-1.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calgary
Tofino
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 CA$2.75
$2.11 CA$2.94
-7.11%
White Bread (500g)
$2.74 CA$3.83
$3.05 CA$4.27
-10.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.46 CA$7.64
$4.18 CA$5.85
30.62%
Eggs
$3.69 CA$5.16
$4.20 CA$5.87
-12.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.24 CA$15.73
$10.36 CA$14.49
8.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.54 CA$16.14
$7.04 CA$9.85
63.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.38 CA$25.70
$10.72 CA$15.00
71.46%
Apples (1kg)
$4.90 CA$6.86
$3.91 CA$5.46
25.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 CA$1.99
$1.47 CA$2.05
-3.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.89
$3.99 CA$5.58
5.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.02 CA$5.63
$4.21 CA$5.88
-4.51%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 CA$3.77
$3.41 CA$4.77
-21.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 CA$3.72
$2.95 CA$4.13
-9.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.61 CA$3.66
$3.19 CA$4.47
-18.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 CA$2.23
$2.52 CA$3.52
-36.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.00 CA$19.58
$14.75 CA$20.63
-5.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.40 CA$21.54
$15.47 CA$21.64
-0.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 CA$3.49
$3.91 CA$5.46
-36.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CA$4.32
$3.51 CA$4.91
-11.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Calgary
Tofino
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.93 CA$4.10
$2.29 CA$3.20
27.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.3 CA$125
$63.3 CA$88.6
40.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.27 CA$4.57
$2.82 CA$3.95
15.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 CA$1.89
$1.57 CA$2.20
-14.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.39 CA$38.31
$33.90 CA$47.42
-19.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 CA$1.64
$1.38 CA$1.93
-15.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.1K
$28.0K CA$39.1K
-0.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.0K CA$29.4K
$20.9K CA$29.2K
0.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
Tofino
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 CA$233
$102 CA$143
63.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.27 CA$53.5
$44.93 CA$62.8
-14.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.9 CA$71.2
$61.4 CA$85.8
-16.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
Tofino
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 CA$71.3
$37.56 CA$52.5
35.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.17 CA$25.42
$17.64 CA$24.67
3.00%
Cinema Ticket
$14.44 CA$20.20
$10.88 CA$15.22
32.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calgary
Tofino
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$545 CA$763
$898 CA$1,257
-39.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K CA$22.7K
$23.2K CA$32.4K
-30.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
Tofino
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 CA$82.4
$54.6 CA$76.4
7.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.75 CA$55.6
$42.98 CA$60.1
-7.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$131
$91.9 CA$129
1.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$154
$105 CA$147
4.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calgary
Tofino
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,254 CA$1,754
$1,288 CA$1,801
-2.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,056 CA$1,478
$1,279 CA$1,789
-17.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,022 CA$2,828
$3,474 CA$4,859
-41.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,629 CA$2,278
$3,293 CA$4,607
-50.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,600 CA$5,036
$4,078 CA$5,704
-11.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,243 CA$4,535
$3,667 CA$5,129
-11.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calgary
Tofino
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,115 CA$4,357
$1,296 CA$1,813
140.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
4.31
4.64%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 26, 2026

Last update for Tofino: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calgary
$1.1K
Tofino
$1.3K 21.1% $222
Groceries & Markets
Calgary
$393
Tofino
$366 6.9% $27
Eating Out
Calgary
$271
Tofino
$297 9.5% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calgary
$256
Tofino
$208 18.6% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Calgary
$136
Tofino
$133 2.4% $3.2
Getting Around
Calgary
$111
Tofino
$83 25.1% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Calgary
$80
Tofino
$59 25.7% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,254 in Calgary and $1,288 in Tofino. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays about 2.4 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $71 in Tofino. Groceries flip the comparison at $393 vs $366, with Tofino cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Calgary
🇨🇦 Tofino
🕒 Local time
05:06 5:06 AM
04:06 4:06 AM
1 h behind Calgary
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,267,344
2,200
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calgary Tofino 870 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Calgary
  • Tofino

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 Tofino: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calgary cheaper than Tofino?
Calgary is about 5% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Calgary or Tofino?
Average pay in Calgary is about 2.4 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Calgary and Tofino?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,254 in Calgary versus $1,288 in Tofino. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $545 in Calgary versus $898 in Tofino. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Tofino runs roughly 29% less than in Calgary. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is Calgary or Tofino more family-friendly?
For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tofino, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Calgary vs other spots: cost of living compared

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