Cost of Living Comparison Between Kamloops and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Kamloops and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,498 in Kamloops versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,660 in Kamloops versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,822 in Kamloops versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Kamloops is roughly 1% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kamloops 87% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.94 CA$30.76

$18.33 CA$25.70

19.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.5 CA$91.9

$69.9 CA$98.0

-6.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.33

$10.95 CA$15.35

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.87

$3.74 CA$5.24

12.03%

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

$2.61 CA$3.66

$2.04 CA$2.86

27.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 CA$2.82

$1.67 CA$2.34

20.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.23

$5.20 CA$7.29

12.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 CA$8.29

$6.71 CA$9.41

-11.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.77 CA$3.89

$2.25 CA$3.15

23.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 CA$3.50

$2.75 CA$3.85

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.54 CA$6.37

$3.23 CA$4.53

40.56%

Eggs

$3.86 CA$5.42

$3.45 CA$4.83

11.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 CA$14.24

$14.40 CA$20.19

-29.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.25 CA$18.58

$12.89 CA$18.07

2.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 CA$21.48

$15.86 CA$22.24

-3.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.67

$4.30 CA$6.02

-5.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.34 CA$1.88

26.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.85 CA$5.40

3.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.72

$4.25 CA$5.97

-4.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.75

$2.55 CA$3.57

4.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 CA$2.97

$2.62 CA$3.68

-19.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 CA$3.98

$2.80 CA$3.92

1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.61

$1.95 CA$2.73

-4.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.40 CA$23.00

$14.97 CA$20.99

9.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 CA$17.66

$13.90 CA$19.49

-9.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 CA$6.26

$2.92 CA$4.10

52.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.51

$3.91 CA$5.48

0.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$2.74 CA$3.84

-47.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.21 CA$52.2

$87.8 CA$123

-57.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 CA$5.47

$3.60 CA$5.04

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$1.30 CA$1.82

28.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.95 CA$18.16

$28.70 CA$40.24

-54.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.12 CA$1.57

11.61%

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

$24.8K CA$34.7K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

-2.72%

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

$20.2K CA$28.4K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

-6.97%

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

$171 CA$239

$213 CA$299

-19.80%

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

$49.84 CA$69.9

$40.96 CA$57.4

21.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 CA$100

$57.9 CA$81.2

23.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 CA$77.7

$54.2 CA$76.0

2.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.93 CA$40.56

$53.8 CA$75.4

-46.18%

Cinema Ticket

$12.00 CA$16.82

$12.63 CA$17.71

-4.99%

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

$783 CA$1,097

$874 CA$1,226

-10.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,102 CA$5,751

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-74.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 CA$95.9

$58.6 CA$82.2

16.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 CA$84.8

$47.01 CA$65.9

28.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 CA$116

$85.1 CA$119

-2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$163

$108 CA$151

7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 CA$2,097

$1,380 CA$1,935

8.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 CA$1,771

$1,159 CA$1,625

8.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,295 CA$3,217

$2,324 CA$3,259

-1.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,917 CA$2,688

$1,905 CA$2,670

0.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,069 CA$7,107

$3,786 CA$5,308

33.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,824 CA$5,362

$3,511 CA$4,922

8.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,869 CA$4,023

$2,940 CA$4,121

-2.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

5.71

17.16%

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

Last update for Kamloops: July 14, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,496 in Kamloops and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Kamloops vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $396, 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

Kamloops vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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: $1,496 in Kamloops 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 Calgary – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $66.0 in Kamloops. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,498 per month in Kamloops versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,498 in Kamloops, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Kamloops. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Kamloops. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.