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: $2,460 in Kelowna versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,617 in Kelowna versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,774 in Kelowna versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Kelowna costs roughly 3% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kelowna 84% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.28

$18.59 CA$25.74

-1.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 CA$92.6

$70.0 CA$97.0

-4.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.47

$10.96 CA$15.17

1.92%

Cappuccino

$4.38 CA$6.06

$3.73 CA$5.17

17.43%

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

$2.18 CA$3.02

$1.99 CA$2.75

9.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.72 CA$2.39

0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.28

$5.01 CA$6.94

19.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 CA$8.46

$6.50 CA$9.01

-6.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CA$2.72

$2.22 CA$3.08

-11.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 CA$4.42

$2.67 CA$3.69

19.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.36

$3.26 CA$4.52

-3.37%

Eggs

$3.86 CA$5.35

$3.35 CA$4.64

15.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 CA$15.36

$14.50 CA$20.07

-23.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.87 CA$20.59

$12.95 CA$17.93

14.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.87 CA$27.51

$16.15 CA$22.36

23.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.17

$4.32 CA$5.98

-13.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.35 CA$1.88

4.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.22

$3.83 CA$5.30

-1.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.59

$4.18 CA$5.79

-3.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.58

$2.65 CA$3.67

-2.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.06

$2.74 CA$3.79

6.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.76 CA$3.82

-1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$1.95 CA$2.70

-8.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 CA$20.79

$14.98 CA$20.74

0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 CA$19.09

$14.67 CA$20.31

-6.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.41

$2.84 CA$3.94

-13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CA$4.31

$4.02 CA$5.56

-22.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 CA$2.62

$2.80 CA$3.88

-32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.7 CA$70.3

$86.2 CA$119

-41.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 CA$4.21

$3.60 CA$4.99

-15.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.32 CA$1.82

28.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.11 CA$48.61

$29.01 CA$40.17

21.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.12 CA$1.55

12.50%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$24.9K CA$34.4K

0.15%

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

$20.1K CA$27.8K

$22.0K CA$30.4K

-8.75%

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

$141 CA$195

$217 CA$301

-35.10%

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

$52.4 CA$72.6

$41.55 CA$57.5

26.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 CA$92.7

$58.1 CA$80.4

15.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.18 CA$61.2

$54.7 CA$75.8

-19.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.88 CA$44.14

$52.8 CA$73.1

-39.64%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 CA$16.12

$12.77 CA$17.68

-8.85%

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

$1,055 CA$1,461

$874 CA$1,210

20.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K CA$23.6K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

7.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 CA$73.7

$58.8 CA$81.5

-9.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.6

$46.47 CA$64.4

-13.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 CA$118

$87.2 CA$121

-2.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$109 CA$151

15.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 CA$1,893

$1,414 CA$1,957

-3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 CA$1,660

$1,172 CA$1,623

2.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 CA$3,041

$2,319 CA$3,211

-5.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 CA$2,808

$1,886 CA$2,612

7.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,081 CA$5,650

$3,892 CA$5,389

4.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,314 CA$4,588

$3,503 CA$4,851

-5.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,038 CA$4,206

$3,149 CA$4,360

-3.54%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,367 in Kelowna and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 4% 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: $67.0 in Kelowna vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 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

Kelowna vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kelowna is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 4% 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: $1,367 in Kelowna 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 Kelowna – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,460 per month in Kelowna versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Kelowna is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 3% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.