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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,797 in North Vancouver versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,453 in North Vancouver versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,108 in North Vancouver versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in North Vancouver is roughly 11% more expensive than Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: North Vancouver 109% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.04 CA$25.09

$18.59 CA$25.86

-2.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 CA$96.1

$70.0 CA$97.4

-1.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 CA$14.43

$10.96 CA$15.24

-5.29%

Cappuccino

$4.12 CA$5.74

$3.73 CA$5.19

10.46%

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

$2.05 CA$2.85

$1.99 CA$2.77

3.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.72 CA$2.40

-24.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 CA$7.06

$5.01 CA$6.97

1.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 CA$9.48

$6.50 CA$9.05

4.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.05

$2.22 CA$3.09

-1.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.67 CA$3.71

-1.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.72

$3.26 CA$4.54

-18.10%

Eggs

$3.76 CA$5.23

$3.35 CA$4.66

12.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 CA$14.57

$14.50 CA$20.16

-27.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 CA$16.23

$12.95 CA$18.01

-9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$16.15 CA$22.46

-10.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 CA$4.84

$4.32 CA$6.01

-19.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.35 CA$1.88

5.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.12

$3.83 CA$5.32

-22.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.56

$4.18 CA$5.81

-4.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.65 CA$3.68

-7.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 CA$2.90

$2.74 CA$3.81

-23.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$2.76 CA$3.84

-10.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.95 CA$2.71

-37.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.76 CA$20.53

$14.98 CA$20.83

-1.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.17

$14.67 CA$20.40

-10.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 CA$5.42

$2.84 CA$3.95

37.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$4.02 CA$5.59

-42.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 CA$3.66

$2.80 CA$3.90

-6.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 CA$125

$86.2 CA$120

4.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 CA$3.70

$3.60 CA$5.01

-26.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.32 CA$1.83

17.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.74 CA$39.97

$29.01 CA$40.35

-0.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.12 CA$1.56

16.07%

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

$24.7K CA$34.4K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

-0.63%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-6.85%

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

$133 CA$186

$217 CA$302

-38.58%

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

$42.28 CA$58.8

$41.55 CA$57.8

1.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 CA$92.7

$58.1 CA$80.8

14.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.30 CA$46.32

$54.7 CA$76.1

-39.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.62 CA$41.19

$52.8 CA$73.5

-43.92%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 CA$17.18

$12.77 CA$17.75

-3.21%

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

$1,207 CA$1,678

$874 CA$1,215

38.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K CA$15.5K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

-30.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 CA$76.2

$58.8 CA$81.8

-6.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.49 CA$63.3

$46.47 CA$64.6

-2.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 CA$133

$87.2 CA$121

9.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$159

$109 CA$151

5.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,880 CA$2,614

$1,414 CA$1,966

32.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,340

$1,172 CA$1,630

43.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,552 CA$4,940

$2,319 CA$3,225

53.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 CA$4,777

$1,886 CA$2,623

82.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,170 CA$11.4K

$3,892 CA$5,413

109.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,898 CA$9,593

$3,503 CA$4,872

96.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,092 CA$4,300

$3,149 CA$4,380

-1.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.71

14.54%

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

Last update for North Vancouver: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,880 in North Vancouver and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in North Vancouver vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $397 per month, with North Vancouver 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

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

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 2% 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: $1,880 in North Vancouver 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 Calgary – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $69.0 in North Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,797 per month in North Vancouver versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Safety-wise, North Vancouver 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 11% less than in North Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.