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: $2,481 in Calgary versus $1,993 in Victoria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,599 in Calgary versus $3,174 in Victoria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Calgary versus $4,355 in Victoria.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 86% above, Victoria 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 CA$26.16

$15.85 SCR 228

17.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$98.7

$44.53 SCR 640

57.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.26 CA$15.80

$9.09 SCR 131

23.87%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.19

$5.03 SCR 72.3

-26.44%

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

$2.05 CA$2.88

$2.71 SCR 38.94

-24.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$2.62 SCR 37.61

-36.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.38

$3.93 SCR 56.5

33.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.45

$4.67 SCR 67.1

44.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$1.86 SCR 26.67

19.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.86

$1.80 SCR 25.85

52.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.60

$2.85 SCR 40.92

15.09%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.52 SCR 50.7

-3.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 CA$20.28

$33.94 SCR 488

-57.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.58 CA$17.66

$6.01 SCR 86.3

109.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.85 CA$22.24

$11.86 SCR 170

33.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.20

$2.25 SCR 32.26

96.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$2.54 SCR 36.44

-47.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.39

$2.21 SCR 31.77

73.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.08

$6.00 SCR 86.3

-27.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$2.09 SCR 30.00

21.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$1.53 SCR 22.03

78.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$1.37 SCR 19.68

96.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.67

$1.50 SCR 21.59

26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.79

$22.12 SCR 318

-33.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 CA$20.25

$10.19 SCR 146

41.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$4.21 SCR 60.5

-30.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.59

$6.44 SCR 92.5

-38.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.79

$0.79 SCR 11.38

241.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 CA$124

$25.32 SCR 364

248.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.81

$6.79 SCR 97.6

-49.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$2.02 SCR 29.07

-35.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.41 CA$39.88

$20.89 SCR 300

36.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.58

$1.40 SCR 20.18

-20.00%

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

$24.9K CA$35.0K

$26.0K SCR 372.9K

-4.05%

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

$21.7K CA$30.5K

$34.2K SCR 491.1K

-36.42%

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

$210 CA$295

$136 SCR 1,959

54.21%

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

$41.33 CA$58.0

$41.83 SCR 601

-1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$81.2

$150 SCR 2,159

-61.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 CA$77.7

$92.6 SCR 1,330

-40.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.2 CA$73.3

$15.48 SCR 223

237.47%

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.50

$5.23 SCR 75.2

138.43%

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

$886 CA$1,244

$157 SCR 2,262

462.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$8,459 SCR 121.6K

88.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$82.9

$64.1 SCR 921

-7.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.08 CA$66.1

$27.35 SCR 393

72.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 CA$122

$68.9 SCR 990

26.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$154

$72.5 SCR 1,042

51.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 CA$1,986

$962 SCR 13.8K

47.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 CA$1,657

$744 SCR 10.7K

58.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 CA$3,332

$2,007 SCR 28.8K

18.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CA$2,603

$1,807 SCR 26.0K

2.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,755 CA$5,271

$435 SCR 6,247

763.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,479 CA$4,883

$1,134 SCR 16.3K

206.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,035 CA$4,260

$957 SCR 13.8K

217.17%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Victoria: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,415 in Calgary and $962 in Victoria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 217% 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 $45.00 in Victoria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $382 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.

Average pay runs 217% 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: $1,415 in Calgary versus $962 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 $45.00 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,481 per month in Calgary versus $1,993 in Victoria – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,993 in Victoria versus $2,481 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.