Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlottetown and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Charlottetown: $1,906 a month against $2,303 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Charlottetown, Canada
Calgary, Canada
Charlottetown
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,906
/mo nomad
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,303
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Charlottetown and in Calgary

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Charlottetown and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,906 in Charlottetown versus $2,303 in Calgary.

  • Charlottetown $1,906
  • Calgary $2,303

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,844 in Charlottetown versus $3,366 in Calgary.

  • Charlottetown $2,844
  • Calgary $3,366

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,782 in Charlottetown versus $4,428 in Calgary.

  • Charlottetown $3,782
  • Calgary $4,428

Living in Charlottetown costs roughly 17% less than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Charlottetown 40% above, Calgary 69% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Charlottetown
Calgary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.36 CA$20.07
$17.55 CA$24.52
-18.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.9 CA$85.2
$70.4 CA$98.4
-13.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.53 CA$13.32
$10.69 CA$14.94
-10.85%
Cappuccino
$3.63 CA$5.07
$3.89 CA$5.43
-6.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 CA$2.36
$2.04 CA$2.85
-17.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 CA$1.80
$1.88 CA$2.62
-31.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.80 CA$8.10
$4.90 CA$6.84
18.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74 CA$8.03
$5.78 CA$8.08
-0.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Charlottetown
Calgary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 CA$3.13
$1.96 CA$2.74
14.29%
White Bread (500g)
$3.09 CA$4.32
$2.74 CA$3.83
12.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.08 CA$7.10
$5.46 CA$7.63
-6.96%
Eggs
$4.13 CA$5.77
$3.69 CA$5.15
11.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.55 CA$16.13
$11.24 CA$15.71
2.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.48 CA$21.63
$11.54 CA$16.12
34.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.53 CA$24.49
$18.38 CA$25.68
-4.62%
Apples (1kg)
$3.42 CA$4.77
$4.90 CA$6.85
-30.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 CA$2.04
$1.42 CA$1.99
2.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.04 CA$5.65
$4.21 CA$5.88
-4.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.01 CA$7.00
$4.02 CA$5.62
24.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.69 CA$2.36
$2.69 CA$3.77
-37.17%
Onion (1kg)
$3.05 CA$4.27
$2.66 CA$3.72
14.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.73 CA$3.82
$2.61 CA$3.65
4.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.05 CA$2.86
$1.60 CA$2.23
28.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.79 CA$24.85
$14.00 CA$19.57
27.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.03 CA$19.60
$15.40 CA$21.52
-8.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.31 CA$4.62
$2.50 CA$3.49
32.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 CA$4.43
$3.09 CA$4.32
2.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Charlottetown
Calgary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 CA$1.96
$2.93 CA$4.09
-52.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.31 CA$20.00
$89.3 CA$125
-83.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.53 CA$10.52
$3.27 CA$4.57
130.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.08 CA$2.91
$1.35 CA$1.89
54.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.10 CA$39.27
$27.39 CA$38.27
2.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 CA$1.87
$1.17 CA$1.64
14.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K CA$38.9K
$27.9K CA$39.0K
-0.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.5K CA$30.1K
$21.0K CA$29.4K
2.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Charlottetown
Calgary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$129 CA$181
$167 CA$233
-22.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.37 CA$46.63
$38.27 CA$53.5
-12.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.1 CA$106
$50.9 CA$71.2
49.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Charlottetown
Calgary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.5 CA$81.7
$51.0 CA$71.2
14.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.47 CA$4.85
$18.17 CA$25.39
-80.90%
Cinema Ticket
$10.50 CA$14.67
$14.44 CA$20.18
-27.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Charlottetown
Calgary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$161 CA$225
$545 CA$762
-70.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$16.2K CA$22.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Charlottetown
Calgary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.13 CA$56.1
$58.9 CA$82.3
-31.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.41 CA$48.08
$39.75 CA$55.6
-13.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.9 CA$117
$93.4 CA$130
-10.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 CA$183
$110 CA$154
19.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Charlottetown
Calgary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$967 CA$1,351
$1,254 CA$1,752
-22.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$760 CA$1,062
$1,056 CA$1,476
-28.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,660 CA$2,319
$2,022 CA$2,826
-17.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,237 CA$1,729
$1,629 CA$2,276
-24.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,914 CA$4,072
$3,600 CA$5,031
-19.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,966 CA$2,747
$3,243 CA$4,531
-39.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Charlottetown
Calgary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,435 CA$3,403
$3,115 CA$4,353
-21.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.58
4.51
1.55%

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

Last update for Charlottetown: October 26, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Charlottetown
$760
Calgary
$1.1K 39% $296
Groceries & Markets
Charlottetown
$419
Calgary
$393 6.4% $27
Eating Out
Charlottetown
$239
Calgary
$271 13.1% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Charlottetown
$239
Calgary
$256 7.2% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Charlottetown
$130
Calgary
$136 4.3% $5.6
Sport & Entertainment
Charlottetown
$79
Calgary
$80 0.5% $0.4
Getting Around
Charlottetown
$38
Calgary
$111 193% $73

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $967 in Charlottetown and $1,254 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 28% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61 in Charlottetown vs $70 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $419 vs $393, with Calgary cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Charlottetown
🇨🇦 Calgary
🕒 Local time
15:48 3:48 PM
13:48 1:48 PM
2 h behind Charlottetown
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
38,809
1,267,344
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Charlottetown Calgary 3,700 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Charlottetown
  • Calgary

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Charlottetown vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Charlottetown cheaper than Calgary?
Charlottetown is about 17% cheaper overall, especially in transport, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Charlottetown or Calgary?
On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Charlottetown. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Charlottetown and Calgary?
Rent for a central apartment: $967 in Charlottetown versus $1,254 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Charlottetown or in Calgary?
Dining out is cheaper in Charlottetown – a meal for two runs $61 versus $70 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Charlottetown and in Calgary?
All in, you’ll spend $1,906 per month in Charlottetown versus $2,303 in Calgary – Charlottetown is about 17% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is Charlottetown or Calgary more family-friendly?
For families, Charlottetown is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Calgary, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Charlottetown wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Charlottetown vs other spots: cost of living compared

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