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: $2,517 in Calgary versus $1,965 in Victoria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,646 in Calgary versus $3,172 in Victoria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,776 in Calgary versus $4,378 in Victoria.

Living in Calgary is roughly 28% more expensive than Victoria, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, Victoria 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.37 CA$25.65

$15.84 SCR 229

15.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 CA$97.4

$44.95 SCR 649

55.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.19

$9.44 SCR 136

15.25%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.16

$4.86 SCR 70.2

-24.07%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$2.76 SCR 39.88

-26.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.43

$2.65 SCR 38.21

-34.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.40

$3.89 SCR 56.1

36.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.42

$4.56 SCR 65.9

47.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$1.85 SCR 26.71

20.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.75

$1.71 SCR 24.67

56.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.68

$2.86 SCR 41.26

17.13%

Eggs

$3.33 CA$4.65

$3.52 SCR 50.8

-5.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 CA$20.12

$34.01 SCR 491

-57.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 CA$17.46

$6.06 SCR 87.6

106.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 CA$22.81

$11.98 SCR 173

36.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.98

$2.27 SCR 32.77

88.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$2.54 SCR 36.73

-46.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.22

$2.17 SCR 31.36

72.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.83

$6.00 SCR 86.6

-30.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$1.97 SCR 28.51

29.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$1.51 SCR 21.83

77.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.71

$1.38 SCR 19.94

92.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.50 SCR 21.68

25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.47

$21.77 SCR 314

-32.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.87

$10.55 SCR 152

34.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$4.35 SCR 62.8

-32.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 CA$5.44

$6.64 SCR 96.0

-41.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 CA$3.79

$0.81 SCR 11.71

234.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$122

$25.11 SCR 363

249.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 CA$4.83

$6.96 SCR 101

-50.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$2.12 SCR 30.57

-38.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.30 CA$39.52

$20.82 SCR 301

35.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.45 SCR 21.01

-24.83%

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

$25.0K CA$34.9K

$26.0K SCR 375.2K

-3.68%

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

$22.2K CA$31.0K

$34.1K SCR 492.1K

-34.77%

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

$211 CA$295

$135 SCR 1,956

55.82%

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

$40.40 CA$56.4

$40.87 SCR 590

-1.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CA$81.7

$150 SCR 2,160

-60.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 CA$75.1

$91.7 SCR 1,324

-41.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.2

$15.31 SCR 221

251.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 CA$17.66

$5.20 SCR 75.1

143.08%

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

$865 CA$1,208

$158 SCR 2,275

449.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.4K

$8,479 SCR 122.5K

89.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$81.1

$66.3 SCR 958

-12.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.18 CA$65.9

$27.59 SCR 398

71.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 CA$119

$70.3 SCR 1,015

21.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$71.1 SCR 1,027

48.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 CA$1,977

$933 SCR 13.5K

51.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 CA$1,611

$732 SCR 10.6K

57.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,370 CA$3,309

$1,986 SCR 28.7K

19.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 CA$2,603

$1,809 SCR 26.1K

3.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,834 CA$5,354

$481 SCR 6,942

697.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,443 CA$4,808

$1,276 SCR 18.4K

169.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,105 CA$4,337

$975 SCR 14.1K

218.62%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Victoria: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,416 in Calgary and $933 in Victoria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 219% 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 $393 vs $383 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 219% 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 $933 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 $2,517 per month in Calgary versus $1,965 in Victoria – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,965 in Victoria versus $2,517 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 28% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.