Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort St John, BC and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort St John, BC and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,009 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,062 in Fort St John, BC versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,115 in Fort St John, BC versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Fort St John, BC costs roughly 15% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort St John, BC 46% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.68

$17.94 CA$24.84

-0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.75 CA$60.6

$70.5 CA$97.7

-37.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 CA$13.19

$10.69 CA$14.80

-10.85%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.37

$3.79 CA$5.24

2.37%

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

$1.81 CA$2.51

$2.00 CA$2.77

-9.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.98 CA$2.73

-36.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 CA$8.80

$5.19 CA$7.19

22.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 CA$6.32

$5.86 CA$8.11

-22.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.47 CA$4.81

$1.95 CA$2.71

77.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.82 CA$3.91

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.29

$5.61 CA$7.77

-31.91%

Eggs

$4.03 CA$5.58

$3.75 CA$5.20

7.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 CA$16.71

$11.50 CA$15.93

4.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.58 CA$18.80

$11.46 CA$15.87

18.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.00 CA$26.30

$18.95 CA$26.24

0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 CA$8.34

$4.83 CA$6.69

24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 CA$0.94

$1.37 CA$1.90

-50.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.21

$4.25 CA$5.88

-11.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$4.15 CA$5.75

-12.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 CA$3.85

$2.70 CA$3.74

2.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.90

$2.83 CA$3.92

-0.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 CA$2.88

$2.64 CA$3.65

-21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.42

$1.51 CA$2.09

63.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.37

$14.60 CA$20.22

0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.48 CA$29.74

$15.76 CA$21.82

36.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.15 CA$7.13

$2.60 CA$3.60

98.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 CA$7.93

$3.08 CA$4.27

86.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$2.93 CA$4.05

-51.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.62 CA$39.63

$89.3 CA$124

-67.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.60

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.36

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.26 CA$1.74

1.59%

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

$28.9K CA$40.1K

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

$21.3K CA$29.6K

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

$128 CA$177

$183 CA$253

-30.03%

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

$100 CA$139

$38.31 CA$53.0

161.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$83.6

$51.7 CA$71.6

16.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.88 CA$19.21

$54.9 CA$76.0

-74.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.84

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.22

$14.26 CA$19.74

-22.93%

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

$729 CA$1,009

$828 CA$1,147

-12.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 CA$99.0

$59.6 CA$82.5

20.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.09 CA$65.2

$39.47 CA$54.7

19.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$94.3 CA$131

12.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 CA$199

$113 CA$156

27.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 CA$1,033

$1,265 CA$1,751

-41.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 CA$1,011

$1,051 CA$1,455

-30.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 CA$2,188

$1,934 CA$2,678

-18.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,422 CA$1,969

$1,700 CA$2,354

-16.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,096

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,616

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,100 CA$4,293

$3,276 CA$4,536

-5.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

4.4

38.64%

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

Last update for Fort St John, BC: August 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $746 in Fort St John, BC and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $44.00 in Fort St John, BC vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $456 vs $397, with Calgary 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

Fort St John, BC vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort St John, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% 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: $746 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,265 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort St John, BC – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,009 per month in Fort St John, BC versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,009 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fort St John, BC but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Fort St John, BC 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 Fort St John, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.