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: $2,374 in Kamloops versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,591 in Kamloops versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,807 in Kamloops versus $4,622 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 73% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.63 CA$30.06

$17.94 CA$24.93

20.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.6 CA$106

$70.5 CA$98.0

8.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 CA$14.79

$10.69 CA$14.85

-0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.30

$3.79 CA$5.26

0.53%

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

$2.50 CA$3.47

$2.00 CA$2.78

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$1.98 CA$2.74

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 CA$8.37

$5.19 CA$7.21

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 CA$8.82

$5.86 CA$8.14

8.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$1.95 CA$2.72

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$2.82 CA$3.92

-14.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.49

$5.61 CA$7.80

-29.59%

Eggs

$4.25 CA$5.90

$3.75 CA$5.21

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 CA$12.35

$11.50 CA$15.98

-22.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 CA$16.98

$11.46 CA$15.93

6.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.73 CA$24.64

$18.95 CA$26.34

-6.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 CA$6.03

$4.83 CA$6.72

-10.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.37 CA$1.90

29.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 CA$5.82

$4.25 CA$5.90

-1.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.85

$4.15 CA$5.77

1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.23

$2.70 CA$3.76

12.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CA$3.27

$2.83 CA$3.93

-16.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$2.64 CA$3.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.59

$1.51 CA$2.10

23.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.31 CA$22.66

$14.60 CA$20.29

11.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 CA$18.37

$15.76 CA$21.90

-16.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.93 CA$6.84

$2.60 CA$3.61

89.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 CA$5.50

$3.08 CA$4.28

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 CA$2.23

$2.93 CA$4.07

-45.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.19 CA$51.7

$89.3 CA$124

-58.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 CA$4.11

$3.32 CA$4.61

-10.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.43 CA$1.99

20.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.88 CA$17.89

$27.71 CA$38.50

-53.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.75

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

$28.6K CA$39.8K

$28.9K CA$40.2K

-1.01%

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

$19.8K CA$27.5K

$21.3K CA$29.7K

-7.19%

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

$204 CA$283

$183 CA$254

11.29%

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

$49.49 CA$68.8

$38.31 CA$53.2

29.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 CA$93.9

$51.7 CA$71.8

30.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.64 CA$59.3

$54.9 CA$76.2

-22.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 CA$39.01

$18.66 CA$25.93

50.48%

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 CA$16.72

$14.26 CA$19.81

-15.64%

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

$780 CA$1,084

$828 CA$1,151

-5.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,898 CA$5,417

$15.9K CA$22.1K

-75.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.2

$59.6 CA$82.8

5.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 CA$80.7

$39.47 CA$54.9

47.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 CA$113

$94.3 CA$131

-13.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$146

$113 CA$157

-6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 CA$1,884

$1,265 CA$1,758

7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 CA$1,561

$1,051 CA$1,461

6.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,191 CA$3,045

$1,934 CA$2,688

13.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,569

$1,700 CA$2,362

8.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,251 CA$7,297

$3,680 CA$5,114

42.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,790 CA$5,267

$3,333 CA$4,632

13.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,934 CA$4,077

$3,276 CA$4,553

-10.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

4.4

4.55%

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

Last update for Kamloops: August 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,356 in Kamloops and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Kamloops vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $397, with Kamloops 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 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 12% 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: $1,356 in Kamloops 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 Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $77.0 in Kamloops. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,374 per month in Kamloops versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,374 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.