Cost of Living Comparison Between Kelowna and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Kelowna and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,414 in Kelowna versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,520 in Kelowna versus $3,499 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,625 in Kelowna versus $4,655 in Calgary.

Living in Kelowna is roughly 3% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kelowna 75% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 CA$23.68

$18.45 CA$25.59

-7.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 CA$82.0

$71.5 CA$99.2

-17.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.38 CA$15.78

$10.68 CA$14.81

6.55%

Cappuccino

$4.20 CA$5.82

$3.93 CA$5.46

6.87%

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

$2.03 CA$2.81

$2.02 CA$2.80

0.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.97 CA$2.73

-13.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.82 CA$6.68

$4.92 CA$6.82

-2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 CA$7.87

$5.90 CA$8.19

-3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.89

$2.03 CA$2.82

2.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$2.86 CA$3.97

1.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 CA$4.83

$5.72 CA$7.93

-39.16%

Eggs

$3.31 CA$4.59

$3.81 CA$5.29

-13.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 CA$12.97

$11.56 CA$16.04

-19.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 CA$18.62

$11.95 CA$16.57

12.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.72 CA$30.13

$18.97 CA$26.30

14.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.87

$4.91 CA$6.82

-28.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.42 CA$1.97

7.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.93

$4.36 CA$6.04

-18.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 CA$6.78

$4.03 CA$5.59

21.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 CA$4.33

$2.72 CA$3.77

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.45

$2.88 CA$3.99

11.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.64

$2.57 CA$3.57

2.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$1.49 CA$2.07

30.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.35 CA$19.90

$14.71 CA$20.41

-2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.80 CA$19.14

$15.57 CA$21.60

-11.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 CA$3.70

$2.52 CA$3.50

5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$3.27 CA$4.53

-5.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 CA$2.45

$2.94 CA$4.07

-39.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.5 CA$70.0

$89.8 CA$125

-43.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 CA$3.98

$3.30 CA$4.58

-13.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 CA$2.55

$1.37 CA$1.90

34.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.55 CA$47.92

$27.07 CA$37.54

27.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.22 CA$1.69

-0.82%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

-0.48%

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

$18.6K CA$25.8K

$20.9K CA$29.0K

-10.87%

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

$129 CA$179

$182 CA$253

-29.23%

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

$46.25 CA$64.1

$39.50 CA$54.8

17.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CA$79.7

$51.4 CA$71.3

11.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 CA$79.9

$54.8 CA$76.0

5.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.93 CA$42.89

$18.79 CA$26.07

64.61%

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 CA$16.90

$14.52 CA$20.14

-16.05%

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

$1,050 CA$1,456

$819 CA$1,136

28.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$16.3K CA$22.7K

1.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 CA$69.8

$61.8 CA$85.8

-18.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.38 CA$57.4

$40.15 CA$55.7

3.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 CA$120

$94.3 CA$131

-8.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$143

$114 CA$158

-9.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 CA$1,871

$1,256 CA$1,741

7.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 CA$1,683

$1,089 CA$1,510

11.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,339 CA$3,244

$1,994 CA$2,766

17.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 CA$2,781

$1,706 CA$2,367

17.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 CA$5,540

$3,627 CA$5,031

10.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,224 CA$4,471

$3,403 CA$4,719

-5.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,062 CA$4,246

$3,246 CA$4,502

-5.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.69

4.48

4.69%

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

Last update for Kelowna: September 7, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,349 in Kelowna and $1,256 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Kelowna vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $401 per month, with Kelowna 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

Kelowna vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% 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: $1,349 in Kelowna versus $1,256 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 $59.0 in Kelowna. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,414 per month in Kelowna versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,414 in Kelowna, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Kelowna. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Calgary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kelowna, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kelowna and Calgary are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Kelowna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.