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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $1,988 in Victoria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,110 in Victoria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $4,231 in Victoria.

Living in Calgary is roughly 18% more expensive than in Victoria, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Victoria 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$18.23 SCR 263

1.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$49.78 SCR 718

43.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$12.65 SCR 183

-15.57%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.92 SCR 56.6

0.26%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.27 SCR 32.81

-11.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$2.70 SCR 38.96

-27.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$4.13 SCR 59.7

19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$3.95 SCR 57.0

49.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.98 SCR 28.50

2.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$1.72 SCR 24.80

66.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$2.65 SCR 38.28

115.85%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$3.83 SCR 55.3

-0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$31.00 SCR 447

-62.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$6.11 SCR 88.2

95.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$12.34 SCR 178

53.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$2.20 SCR 31.68

123.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$2.72 SCR 39.25

-47.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$2.34 SCR 33.73

86.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$6.40 SCR 92.4

-37.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$1.92 SCR 27.77

41.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$1.79 SCR 25.82

60.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$1.55 SCR 22.34

65.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.29 SCR 18.55

15.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$24.25 SCR 350

-39.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$10.29 SCR 149

51.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$4.37 SCR 63.1

-42.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$5.82 SCR 84.0

-43.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$0.69 SCR 9.97

326.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$33.16 SCR 478

170.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.56 SCR 22.51

-21.79%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$27.0K SCR 389.1K

5.95%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$32.8K SCR 473.0K

-36.33%

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

$182 CA$253

$142 SCR 2,045

28.69%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$41.55 SCR 599

-4.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$137 SCR 1,973

-62.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$78.7 SCR 1,136

-30.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

$8.06 SCR 116

133.13%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$7.15 SCR 103

103.08%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$146 SCR 2,113

458.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$8,754 SCR 126.3K

86.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$37.48 SCR 541

64.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$25.21 SCR 364

59.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$90.6 SCR 1,307

4.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$99.3 SCR 1,433

14.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$957 SCR 13.8K

31.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$805 SCR 11.6K

35.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$2,275 SCR 32.8K

-12.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,752 SCR 25.3K

-2.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

$445 SCR 6,421

715.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

$1,161 SCR 16.7K

193.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$948 SCR 13.7K

242.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

-62.67%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Victoria: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $957 in Victoria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 243% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $50.0 in Victoria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $377 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 243% 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: $1,256 in Calgary versus $957 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 $50.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,344 per month in Calgary versus $1,988 in Victoria – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,988 in Victoria versus $2,344 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 18% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.