Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Victoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Victoria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,475 in Calgary versus $1,975 in Victoria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,595 in Calgary versus $3,175 in Victoria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,715 in Calgary versus $4,375 in Victoria.

Living in Calgary is roughly 25% more expensive than Victoria, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 85% above, Victoria 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.00

$15.52 SCR 227

17.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$45.51 SCR 664

53.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 CA$15.24

$9.27 SCR 135

19.96%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.23

$5.05 SCR 73.7

-24.36%

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

$1.96 CA$2.69

$2.74 SCR 40.05

-28.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.27

$2.64 SCR 38.50

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 CA$6.95

$3.89 SCR 56.8

30.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 CA$8.98

$4.69 SCR 68.5

39.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CA$2.96

$1.85 SCR 27.03

16.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.72

$1.80 SCR 26.30

50.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.53

$2.86 SCR 41.80

15.38%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.70 SCR 54.1

-8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.76

$33.90 SCR 495

-57.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.70 CA$17.40

$6.15 SCR 89.8

106.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.11 CA$22.07

$11.68 SCR 171

37.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.06

$2.25 SCR 32.91

96.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$2.63 SCR 38.37

-50.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$2.22 SCR 32.48

74.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.07

$6.32 SCR 92.3

-29.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.51

$2.05 SCR 29.99

24.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.54

$1.52 SCR 22.15

69.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.71

$1.38 SCR 20.11

96.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.58

$1.45 SCR 21.15

29.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$19.81

$22.16 SCR 323

-34.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.47 CA$19.83

$9.96 SCR 145

45.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.83

$4.25 SCR 62.1

-34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$6.42 SCR 93.7

-38.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 CA$3.73

$0.80 SCR 11.69

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.4 CA$117

$24.62 SCR 359

247.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 CA$4.67

$6.96 SCR 102

-51.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.86

$2.12 SCR 30.95

-35.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 CA$39.97

$20.71 SCR 302

40.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.49

$1.40 SCR 20.42

-22.14%

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

$24.6K CA$33.7K

$26.6K SCR 388.5K

-7.50%

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

$21.8K CA$29.8K

$34.0K SCR 496.4K

-36.00%

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

$211 CA$289

$137 SCR 2,006

53.42%

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

$41.13 CA$56.4

$41.44 SCR 605

-0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 CA$79.9

$154 SCR 2,245

-62.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 CA$73.7

$93.9 SCR 1,372

-42.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.9 CA$72.4

$15.51 SCR 226

240.81%

Cinema Ticket

$12.68 CA$17.37

$5.21 SCR 76.1

143.38%

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

$875 CA$1,199

$153 SCR 2,238

471.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$21.9K

$8,371 SCR 122.2K

90.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.5

$63.9 SCR 932

-9.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.11 CA$64.5

$26.91 SCR 393

75.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 CA$120

$70.7 SCR 1,032

24.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$146

$71.7 SCR 1,046

48.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 CA$1,940

$954 SCR 13.9K

48.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 CA$1,604

$727 SCR 10.6K

60.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 CA$3,135

$1,973 SCR 28.8K

15.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 CA$2,523

$1,764 SCR 25.7K

4.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,718 CA$5,093

$434 SCR 6,334

756.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,594 CA$4,924

$1,150 SCR 16.8K

212.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,131 CA$4,289

$856 SCR 12.5K

265.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

16.5

-65.39%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 21, 2026

Last update for Victoria: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,416 in Calgary and $954 in Victoria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 266% 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 $46 in Victoria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $384 per month, with Victoria cheaper across the board.

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 & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 266% 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: $1,416 in Calgary versus $954 in Victoria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Victoria – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,475 per month in Calgary versus $1,975 in Victoria – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,975 in Victoria versus $2,475 in Calgary, a $3,000 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 25% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.