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: $1,728 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,737 in Fort St John, BC versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,746 in Fort St John, BC versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Fort St John, BC costs roughly 32% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort St John, BC 29% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 CA$19.10

$18.59 CA$25.74

-25.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.90 CA$62.2

$70.0 CA$97.0

-35.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 CA$13.20

$10.96 CA$15.17

-13.05%

Cappuccino

$4.31 CA$5.97

$3.73 CA$5.17

15.55%

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

$1.85 CA$2.57

$1.99 CA$2.75

-7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.72 CA$2.39

-27.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 CA$8.79

$5.01 CA$6.94

26.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 CA$7.76

$6.50 CA$9.01

-13.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$2.22 CA$3.08

5.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$2.67 CA$3.69

23.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.45

$3.26 CA$4.52

20.86%

Eggs

$3.86 CA$5.35

$3.35 CA$4.64

15.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.57 CA$9.10

$14.50 CA$20.07

-54.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.13 CA$16.79

$12.95 CA$17.93

-6.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.41 CA$26.87

$16.15 CA$22.36

20.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.23

$4.32 CA$5.98

20.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 CA$0.94

$1.35 CA$1.88

-49.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.33

$3.83 CA$5.30

0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.19

$4.18 CA$5.79

-10.29%

Potato (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.23

$2.65 CA$3.67

96.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$2.74 CA$3.79

5.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.47

$2.76 CA$3.82

-9.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$1.95 CA$2.70

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.68 CA$20.33

$14.98 CA$20.74

-2.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.27 CA$29.44

$14.67 CA$20.31

44.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.08

$2.84 CA$3.94

3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$4.02 CA$5.56

-24.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$2.00

$2.80 CA$3.88

-48.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.49 CA$40.84

$86.2 CA$119

-65.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 CA$10.03

$3.60 CA$4.99

101.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 CA$1.41

$1.32 CA$1.82

-22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.28 CA$36.38

$29.01 CA$40.17

-9.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.75

$1.12 CA$1.55

12.50%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$24.9K CA$34.4K

1.40%

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

$20.5K CA$28.4K

$22.0K CA$30.4K

-6.68%

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

$86.3 CA$119

$217 CA$301

-60.27%

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

$104 CA$144

$41.55 CA$57.5

150.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CA$90.1

$58.1 CA$80.4

12.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 CA$77.3

$54.7 CA$75.8

2.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.1

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 CA$15.10

$12.77 CA$17.68

-14.57%

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

$745 CA$1,032

$874 CA$1,210

-14.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

-27.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 CA$103

$58.8 CA$81.5

26.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 CA$66.6

$46.47 CA$64.4

3.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 CA$117

$87.2 CA$121

-2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 CA$201

$109 CA$151

33.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 CA$815

$1,414 CA$1,957

-58.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 CA$765

$1,172 CA$1,623

-52.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,803

$2,319 CA$3,211

-43.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 CA$1,557

$1,886 CA$2,612

-40.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,389

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,851

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,124 CA$4,325

$3,149 CA$4,360

-0.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

5.71

30.47%

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

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Fort St John, BC and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 1% 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: $45.00 in Fort St John, BC vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $412 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 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 1% 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: $589 in Fort St John, BC 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 Fort St John, BC – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,728 per month in Fort St John, BC versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,728 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,523 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 46% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.