Cost of Living Comparison Between Campbell River and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Campbell River and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Campbell River versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,529 in Campbell River versus $3,470 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,637 in Campbell River versus $4,597 in Calgary.

Living in Campbell River is roughly 3% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Campbell River 77% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.04 CA$25.07

$17.68 CA$24.58

2.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 CA$99.6

$71.2 CA$99.0

0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.25

$10.85 CA$15.08

1.11%

Cappuccino

$4.25 CA$5.91

$3.85 CA$5.36

10.39%

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

$2.41 CA$3.35

$1.95 CA$2.71

23.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CA$1.38

$1.79 CA$2.49

-44.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.17

$4.97 CA$6.90

18.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 CA$8.98

$5.90 CA$8.20

9.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 CA$4.22

$1.84 CA$2.56

65.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 CA$4.33

$2.73 CA$3.80

13.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.62

$5.44 CA$7.56

-25.74%

Eggs

$4.34 CA$6.03

$3.63 CA$5.04

19.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.50 CA$11.82

$11.55 CA$16.05

-26.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 CA$13.45

$11.57 CA$16.09

-16.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$18.94 CA$26.33

-20.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.55

$4.95 CA$6.88

-33.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.42 CA$1.97

-0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.08

$4.22 CA$5.87

-13.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.09

$4.09 CA$5.68

-10.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 CA$4.83

$2.56 CA$3.55

35.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.98

$2.82 CA$3.92

1.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$2.57 CA$3.57

28.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$1.55 CA$2.15

61.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.33 CA$21.30

$14.59 CA$20.28

5.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.34 CA$25.49

$15.60 CA$21.69

17.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.96 CA$5.50

$2.58 CA$3.59

53.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 CA$4.94

$3.23 CA$4.49

10.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$2.96 CA$4.12

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 CA$127

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 CA$3.93

$3.17 CA$4.40

-10.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.18

$1.39 CA$1.93

12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.18 CA$47.51

$27.67 CA$38.46

23.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.76

$1.25 CA$1.74

0.80%

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

$28.9K CA$40.2K

$28.3K CA$39.4K

2.14%

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

$18.4K CA$25.6K

$21.3K CA$29.6K

-13.44%

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

$54.6 CA$75.9

$178 CA$247

-69.30%

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

$45.22 CA$62.9

$39.31 CA$54.6

15.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 CA$88.4

$50.9 CA$70.8

24.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 CA$64.0

$54.7 CA$76.1

-15.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 CA$15.14

$14.55 CA$20.23

-25.15%

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

$917 CA$1,275

$812 CA$1,128

13.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K CA$32.0K

$16.4K CA$22.8K

40.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.89 CA$61.0

$59.4 CA$82.6

-26.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.17 CA$62.8

$40.33 CA$56.1

12.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 CA$102

$92.2 CA$128

-20.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 CA$126

$113 CA$157

-19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 CA$2,060

$1,284 CA$1,785

15.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 CA$1,938

$1,018 CA$1,415

36.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,190 CA$3,045

$1,977 CA$2,749

10.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,199 CA$3,057

$1,746 CA$2,428

25.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,963

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,669

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,299 CA$3,196

$3,213 CA$4,467

-28.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.48

-3.57%

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

Last update for Campbell River: September 15, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,482 in Campbell River and $1,284 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Campbell River vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $395, with Campbell River cheaper for home cooking.

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

Campbell River vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Calgary. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,482 in Campbell River versus $1,284 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $917 in Campbell River versus $812 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $72.0 in Campbell River. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,420 in Campbell River, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Campbell River. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Campbell River. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.