Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Victoria

For one person, living is cheaper in Victoria: $267 a month against $2,223 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $23,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,223

/mo nomad

Victoria

🇬🇩 Grenada

$267

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Victoria

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Calgary versus $267 in Victoria.

Calgary $2,223
Victoria $267

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,301 in Calgary versus $442 in Victoria.

Calgary $3,301
Victoria $442

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,379 in Calgary versus $616 in Victoria.

Calgary $4,379
Victoria $616

Living in Calgary is roughly 732% more expensive than in Victoria, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 65% above, Victoria is 80% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.34

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$100

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 CA$14.89

Cappuccino

$3.66 CA$5.18

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

$1.98 CA$2.80

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 CA$2.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 CA$7.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 CA$7.87

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$6.40 EC$17.29

-70.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.78

$1.03 EC$2.79

159.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 CA$7.52

$1.67 EC$4.50

218.56%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.35

$3.80 EC$10.26

-0.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.09 CA$15.68

$8.01 EC$21.63

38.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 CA$16.05

$4.49 EC$12.12

153.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.40 CA$26.01

$4.41 EC$11.90

317.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.45

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.04

$1.59 EC$4.29

-9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.76

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.50

$6.37 EC$17.21

-38.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.73

$2.43 EC$6.55

8.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.73

$2.43 EC$6.57

8.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.54

$1.83 EC$4.95

36.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$1.88 EC$5.07

-20.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 CA$19.86

Wine (Bottle)

$15.70 CA$22.20

$7.32 EC$19.76

114.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CA$3.45

$1.89 EC$5.09

29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.37

$1.83 EC$4.94

68.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 CA$125

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 CA$4.41

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.02 CA$38.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.64

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

$27.9K CA$39.5K

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

$20.3K CA$28.8K

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

$161 CA$227

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

$38.13 CA$53.9

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.0 CA$70.7

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 CA$72.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 CA$25.64

Cinema Ticket

$13.82 CA$19.54

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

$786 CA$1,111

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K CA$21.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$82.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.27 CA$55.5

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 CA$127

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 CA$1,737

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 CA$1,415

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,921 CA$2,716

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 CA$2,292

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,549 CA$5,018

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,335 CA$4,715

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,165 CA$4,474

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

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

Last update for Calgary: October 13, 2026

Last update for Victoria: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$1K 45%

Victoria

–

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$385 17.3%

Victoria

–

Eating Out

Calgary

$265 11.9%

Victoria

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$249 11.2%

Victoria

–

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$134 6%

Victoria

–

Getting Around

Calgary

$110 4.9%

Victoria

–

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$79 3.6%

Victoria

–

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇬🇩 Victoria

🕒 Local time

17:24 5:24 PM

19:24 7:24 PM

2 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

2,256

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.329 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.04 XCD (1 XCD = 0.329 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Calgary Victoria 6,380 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
Victoria

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 Victoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 732% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,335 in Calgary and $401 in Victoria to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Calgary. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,223 per month in Calgary versus $267 in Victoria – a 732% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $267 in Victoria versus $2,223 in Calgary, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Victoria but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Victoria 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.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Victoria are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Victoria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 732% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.