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: $2,446 in Kelowna versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,583 in Kelowna versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,720 in Kelowna versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Kelowna costs roughly 1% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kelowna 83% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.60 CA$26.08

$18.33 CA$25.70

1.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.1 CA$92.7

$69.9 CA$98.0

-5.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.39

$10.95 CA$15.35

0.27%

Cappuccino

$4.23 CA$5.94

$3.74 CA$5.24

13.10%

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

$2.13 CA$2.98

$2.04 CA$2.86

4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.39

$1.67 CA$2.34

2.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.28

$5.20 CA$7.29

13.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 CA$9.01

$6.71 CA$9.41

-4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CA$2.78

$2.25 CA$3.15

-11.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 CA$4.36

$2.75 CA$3.85

13.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.41

$3.23 CA$4.53

-2.48%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.26

$3.45 CA$4.83

8.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 CA$15.53

$14.40 CA$20.19

-23.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.22 CA$21.34

$12.89 CA$18.07

18.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.18 CA$28.29

$15.86 CA$22.24

27.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.23

$4.30 CA$6.02

-13.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.98

$1.34 CA$1.88

5.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.31

$3.85 CA$5.40

-1.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.56

$4.25 CA$5.97

-6.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.52

$2.55 CA$3.57

-1.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.03

$2.62 CA$3.68

9.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.80 CA$3.92

-3.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.59

$1.95 CA$2.73

-5.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.51 CA$20.34

$14.97 CA$20.99

-3.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 CA$18.99

$13.90 CA$19.49

-2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.30

$2.92 CA$4.10

-19.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$3.91 CA$5.48

-21.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 CA$2.52

$2.74 CA$3.84

-34.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 CA$73.4

$87.8 CA$123

-40.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$3.60 CA$5.04

-19.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.39

$1.30 CA$1.82

31.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.79 CA$50.2

$28.70 CA$40.24

24.70%

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)

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

-0.50%

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

$20.2K CA$28.3K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

-7.18%

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

$141 CA$198

$213 CA$299

-33.73%

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

$51.9 CA$72.8

$40.96 CA$57.4

26.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CA$92.6

$57.9 CA$81.2

14.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.44 CA$62.3

$54.2 CA$76.0

-17.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.58 CA$44.27

$53.8 CA$75.4

-41.25%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 CA$16.24

$12.63 CA$17.71

-8.31%

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

$1,086 CA$1,523

$874 CA$1,226

24.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.3K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

4.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 CA$72.2

$58.6 CA$82.2

-12.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 CA$55.8

$47.01 CA$65.9

-15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 CA$120

$85.1 CA$119

0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$181

$108 CA$151

19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 CA$1,947

$1,380 CA$1,935

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 CA$1,684

$1,159 CA$1,625

3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 CA$3,124

$2,324 CA$3,259

-4.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,774

$1,905 CA$2,670

3.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 CA$5,527

$3,786 CA$5,308

4.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,230 CA$4,529

$3,511 CA$4,922

-7.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,953 CA$4,141

$2,940 CA$4,121

0.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.71

14.36%

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

Last update for Kelowna: July 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,389 in Kelowna and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kelowna pays 0% 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 Kelowna vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $402 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

Kelowna vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kelowna is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Kelowna, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,389 in Kelowna 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 Kelowna – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,446 per month in Kelowna versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,446 in Kelowna versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Kelowna but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Kelowna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kelowna is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Calgary, 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 Kelowna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.