Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,949 in Coquitlam versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,123 in Coquitlam versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,297 in Coquitlam versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 17% more expensive than Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coquitlam 120% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.48 CA$20.14

$18.59 CA$25.86

-22.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 CA$71.3

$70.0 CA$97.4

-26.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 CA$14.45

$10.96 CA$15.24

-5.20%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.14

$3.73 CA$5.19

-1.07%

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

$1.97 CA$2.74

$1.99 CA$2.77

-1.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 CA$2.92

$1.72 CA$2.40

22.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.26

$5.01 CA$6.97

4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 CA$8.06

$6.50 CA$9.05

-10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$2.22 CA$3.09

-35.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 CA$4.16

$2.67 CA$3.71

11.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$3.26 CA$4.54

-30.98%

Eggs

$3.98 CA$5.53

$3.35 CA$4.66

18.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CA$14.62

$14.50 CA$20.16

-27.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.67

$12.95 CA$18.01

25.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.44 CA$20.08

$16.15 CA$22.46

-10.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.32

$4.32 CA$6.01

5.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.35 CA$1.88

5.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.07

$3.83 CA$5.32

32.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.35

$4.18 CA$5.81

9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$2.65 CA$3.68

-39.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.46

$2.74 CA$3.81

-35.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.98 CA$4.14

$2.76 CA$3.84

7.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.95 CA$2.71

-44.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.11 CA$19.62

$14.98 CA$20.83

-5.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CA$17.29

$14.67 CA$20.40

-15.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 CA$5.42

$2.84 CA$3.95

37.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.26

$4.02 CA$5.59

-41.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$2.80 CA$3.90

-16.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 CA$108

$86.2 CA$120

-9.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$3.60 CA$5.01

-23.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.19

$1.32 CA$1.83

18.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.93 CA$34.67

$29.01 CA$40.35

-14.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.12 CA$1.56

22.32%

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

$24.5K CA$34.1K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

-1.29%

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

$20.1K CA$27.9K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-8.60%

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

$132 CA$184

$217 CA$302

-39.02%

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

$36.68 CA$51.0

$41.55 CA$57.8

-11.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 CA$84.7

$58.1 CA$80.8

4.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.85 CA$38.73

$54.7 CA$76.1

-49.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$52.8 CA$73.5

-78.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 CA$15.58

$12.77 CA$17.75

-12.29%

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

$1,230 CA$1,710

$874 CA$1,215

40.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.2K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

-22.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 CA$98.3

$58.8 CA$81.8

20.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 CA$63.5

$46.47 CA$64.6

-1.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 CA$132

$87.2 CA$121

9.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$159

$109 CA$151

5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 CA$2,859

$1,414 CA$1,966

45.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 CA$2,527

$1,172 CA$1,630

54.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,665 CA$5,097

$2,319 CA$3,225

58.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 CA$3,727

$1,886 CA$2,623

42.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,103 CA$8,487

$3,892 CA$5,413

56.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,152 CA$7,165

$3,503 CA$4,872

47.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,140 CA$4,367

$3,149 CA$4,380

-0.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

5.71

15.76%

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

Last update for Coquitlam: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,055 in Coquitlam and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in Coquitlam vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $397 per month, with Coquitlam 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

Coquitlam vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 0% less. 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: $2,055 in Coquitlam versus $1,414 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $51.0 in Coquitlam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,949 per month in Coquitlam versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 17% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.