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: $2,189 in Courtenay versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,083 in Courtenay versus $3,470 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,978 in Courtenay versus $4,597 in Calgary.

Living in Courtenay costs roughly 7% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Courtenay 60% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.59 CA$20.41

$17.68 CA$24.74

-17.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 CA$80.1

$71.2 CA$99.6

-19.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 CA$14.24

$10.85 CA$15.18

-6.18%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.18

$3.85 CA$5.39

-3.90%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$1.95 CA$2.73

4.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$1.79 CA$2.51

-8.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 CA$8.04

$4.97 CA$6.95

15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 CA$8.37

$5.90 CA$8.25

1.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 CA$3.33

$1.84 CA$2.58

29.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 CA$2.98

$2.73 CA$3.82

-21.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.98

$5.44 CA$7.60

-60.85%

Eggs

$3.30 CA$4.62

$3.63 CA$5.07

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 CA$14.30

$11.55 CA$16.15

-11.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 CA$12.99

$11.57 CA$16.19

-19.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.98 CA$27.95

$18.94 CA$26.50

5.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.58

$4.95 CA$6.92

-33.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.42 CA$1.98

-7.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$4.22 CA$5.90

-42.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 CA$4.25

$4.09 CA$5.72

-25.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.78

$2.56 CA$3.58

5.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CA$3.01

$2.82 CA$3.95

-23.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 CA$2.83

$2.57 CA$3.59

-21.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.39

$1.55 CA$2.16

10.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.65 CA$20.50

$14.59 CA$20.41

0.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CA$14.87

$15.60 CA$21.83

-31.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.49

$2.58 CA$3.61

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$3.23 CA$4.52

-23.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 CA$2.81

$2.96 CA$4.14

-32.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.72 CA$61.2

$91.1 CA$127

-52.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$3.17 CA$4.43

-13.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.97

$1.39 CA$1.95

1.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.97 CA$25.13

$27.67 CA$38.70

-35.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$1.25 CA$1.75

-2.40%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$28.3K CA$39.6K

-27.28%

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

$18.9K CA$26.4K

$21.3K CA$29.8K

-11.28%

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

$136 CA$190

$178 CA$249

-23.60%

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

$37.09 CA$51.9

$39.31 CA$55.0

-5.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 CA$91.3

$50.9 CA$71.2

28.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.83 CA$61.3

$54.7 CA$76.5

-19.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.01 CA$54.6

$18.77 CA$26.25

107.83%

Cinema Ticket

$10.71 CA$14.99

$14.55 CA$20.36

-26.39%

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

$1,779 CA$2,489

$812 CA$1,135

119.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.3K

$16.4K CA$23.0K

-24.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 CA$78.2

$59.4 CA$83.1

-5.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.25 CA$63.3

$40.33 CA$56.4

12.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 CA$111

$92.2 CA$129

-14.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.3 CA$85.8

$113 CA$158

-45.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 CA$1,724

$1,284 CA$1,796

-4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 CA$1,556

$1,018 CA$1,424

9.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,188 CA$3,060

$1,977 CA$2,766

10.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 CA$2,281

$1,746 CA$2,443

-6.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,504 CA$7,700

$3,571 CA$4,995

54.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,541

$3,213 CA$4,495

1.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

4.48

8.71%

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

Last update for Courtenay: September 14, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,232 in Courtenay and $1,284 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Courtenay pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $57.0 in Courtenay vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $395 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1% 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: $1,232 in Courtenay versus $1,284 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 $57.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,189 per month in Courtenay versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,189 in Courtenay versus $2,344 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 7% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.