Cost of Living Comparison Between North Bay and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between North Bay and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,351 in North Bay versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,469 in North Bay versus $3,470 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,588 in North Bay versus $4,597 in Calgary.

Monthly costs are close between North Bay and Calgary; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: North Bay 72% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.95 CA$25.11

$17.68 CA$24.74

1.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 CA$111

$71.2 CA$99.6

11.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 CA$15.01

$10.85 CA$15.18

-1.11%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.61

$3.85 CA$5.39

4.16%

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

$2.19 CA$3.07

$1.95 CA$2.73

12.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.79 CA$2.51

-2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 CA$7.17

$4.97 CA$6.95

3.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 CA$9.50

$5.90 CA$8.25

15.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$1.84 CA$2.58

38.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$3.99

$2.73 CA$3.82

4.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.45

$5.44 CA$7.60

-54.60%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.38

$3.63 CA$5.07

6.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 CA$14.15

$11.55 CA$16.15

-12.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 CA$16.59

$11.57 CA$16.19

2.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.39 CA$17.33

$18.94 CA$26.50

-34.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.38

$4.95 CA$6.92

-22.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.42 CA$1.98

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.57

$4.22 CA$5.90

-22.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.90

$4.09 CA$5.72

3.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$2.56 CA$3.58

-26.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$2.82 CA$3.95

-43.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$2.57 CA$3.59

-6.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$1.55 CA$2.16

-6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.31

$14.59 CA$20.41

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 CA$20.20

$15.60 CA$21.83

-7.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.26

$2.58 CA$3.61

-9.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 CA$3.55

$3.23 CA$4.52

-21.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 CA$3.19

$2.96 CA$4.14

-22.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.1 CA$96.7

$91.1 CA$127

-24.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 CA$4.30

$3.17 CA$4.43

-3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.39 CA$1.95

-17.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.43 CA$31.37

$27.67 CA$38.70

-18.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.61

$1.25 CA$1.75

-8.00%

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

$27.3K CA$38.2K

$28.3K CA$39.6K

-3.61%

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

$21.0K CA$29.4K

$21.3K CA$29.8K

-1.45%

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

$121 CA$170

$178 CA$249

-31.79%

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

$33.66 CA$47.09

$39.31 CA$55.0

-14.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.60 CA$68.0

$50.9 CA$71.2

-4.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.27 CA$43.75

$54.7 CA$76.5

-42.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CA$26.25

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 CA$18.01

$14.55 CA$20.36

-11.55%

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

$768 CA$1,074

$812 CA$1,135

-5.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K CA$34.0K

$16.4K CA$23.0K

47.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.25 CA$61.9

$59.4 CA$83.1

-25.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.94 CA$25.10

$40.33 CA$56.4

-55.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 CA$139

$92.2 CA$129

8.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.2 CA$123

$113 CA$158

-21.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 CA$1,853

$1,284 CA$1,796

3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 CA$1,705

$1,018 CA$1,424

19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 CA$3,178

$1,977 CA$2,766

14.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 CA$2,928

$1,746 CA$2,443

19.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,995

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,698

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,993 CA$4,187

$3,213 CA$4,495

-6.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.48

-0.22%

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

Last update for North Bay: September 15, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in North Bay and $1,284 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 7% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $79.0 in North Bay vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $395, with North Bay 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

North Bay vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 7% 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: $1,325 in North Bay versus $1,284 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $768 in North Bay versus $812 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $79.0 in North Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,351 in North Bay, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in North Bay. 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.

Safety-wise, North Bay 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.

It comes down to priorities – Calgary wins on affordability, North Bay on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.