Cost of Living Comparison Between Courtenay and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Courtenay and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,178 in Courtenay versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,016 in Courtenay versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,853 in Courtenay versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Courtenay costs roughly 12% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Courtenay 63% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.99 CA$18.28

$18.33 CA$25.79

-29.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 CA$82.8

$69.9 CA$98.3

-15.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 CA$13.65

$10.95 CA$15.41

-11.42%

Cappuccino

$4.12 CA$5.80

$3.74 CA$5.26

10.16%

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

$1.98 CA$2.79

$2.04 CA$2.87

-2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 CA$1.90

$1.67 CA$2.35

-19.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.42

$5.20 CA$7.32

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.65 CA$12.17

$6.71 CA$9.45

28.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.97

$2.25 CA$3.16

-6.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 CA$3.23

$2.75 CA$3.87

-16.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.14

$3.23 CA$4.54

-30.96%

Eggs

$3.21 CA$4.52

$3.45 CA$4.85

-6.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 CA$13.47

$14.40 CA$20.26

-33.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 CA$13.56

$12.89 CA$18.13

-25.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 CA$14.00

$15.86 CA$22.32

-37.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.31

$4.30 CA$6.05

-28.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.34 CA$1.89

2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$3.85 CA$5.42

-38.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.65

$4.25 CA$5.99

-22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.56

$2.55 CA$3.58

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.62 CA$3.69

-14.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$2.80 CA$3.94

-32.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$1.95 CA$2.74

-39.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.82 CA$20.85

$14.97 CA$21.06

-1.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 CA$15.11

$13.90 CA$19.57

-22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.51

$2.92 CA$4.11

9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.18

$3.91 CA$5.50

-42.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 CA$2.02

$2.74 CA$3.85

-47.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.93 CA$63.2

$87.8 CA$124

-48.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CA$4.60

$3.60 CA$5.06

-9.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.30 CA$1.83

6.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.77 CA$26.41

$28.70 CA$40.39

-34.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.79

$1.12 CA$1.57

13.39%

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

$13.4K CA$18.9K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-47.37%

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

$18.9K CA$26.6K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-12.92%

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

$110 CA$155

$213 CA$300

-48.32%

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

$44.06 CA$62.0

$40.96 CA$57.6

7.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.35 CA$65.2

$57.9 CA$81.5

-19.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.37 CA$62.4

$54.2 CA$76.2

-18.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.21 CA$58.0

$53.8 CA$75.6

-23.33%

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 CA$15.66

$12.63 CA$17.77

-11.88%

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

$956 CA$1,345

$874 CA$1,230

9.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K CA$18.9K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-15.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 CA$68.7

$58.6 CA$82.5

-16.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.35 CA$46.92

$47.01 CA$66.2

-29.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 CA$113

$85.1 CA$120

-5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.8 CA$88.4

$108 CA$151

-41.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 CA$1,939

$1,380 CA$1,942

-0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 CA$1,619

$1,159 CA$1,631

-0.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,231 CA$3,139

$2,324 CA$3,270

-4.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 CA$2,420

$1,905 CA$2,680

-9.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,300 CA$7,457

$3,786 CA$5,327

39.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,248 CA$4,570

$2,940 CA$4,136

10.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.71

6.48%

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

Last update for Courtenay: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,378 in Courtenay and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Courtenay pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Courtenay vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $396 per month, with Courtenay 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

Courtenay vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Courtenay is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Courtenay, 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: $1,378 in Courtenay versus $1,380 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Courtenay – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,178 per month in Courtenay versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,178 in Courtenay versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Courtenay but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Courtenay 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 Courtenay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.