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: $2,769 in North Vancouver versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,402 in North Vancouver versus $3,470 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,036 in North Vancouver versus $4,597 in Calgary.

Living in North Vancouver is roughly 18% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: North Vancouver 102% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.91 CA$30.65

$17.68 CA$24.74

23.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 CA$91.8

$71.2 CA$99.6

-7.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 CA$13.12

$10.85 CA$15.18

-13.55%

Cappuccino

$4.28 CA$5.98

$3.85 CA$5.39

11.17%

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

$2.40 CA$3.36

$1.95 CA$2.73

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.79 CA$2.51

-3.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 CA$8.09

$4.97 CA$6.95

16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 CA$8.34

$5.90 CA$8.25

1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$1.84 CA$2.58

1.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.94

$2.73 CA$3.82

3.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.34

$5.44 CA$7.60

-56.07%

Eggs

$3.29 CA$4.60

$3.63 CA$5.07

-9.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 CA$19.36

$11.55 CA$16.15

19.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 CA$18.06

$11.57 CA$16.19

11.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.72 CA$21.99

$18.94 CA$26.50

-17.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 CA$6.11

$4.95 CA$6.92

-11.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.42 CA$1.98

-2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.63 CA$6.48

$4.22 CA$5.90

9.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.20

$4.09 CA$5.72

8.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$2.56 CA$3.58

14.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$2.82 CA$3.95

2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$2.57 CA$3.59

10.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$1.55 CA$2.16

32.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.47 CA$20.24

$14.59 CA$20.41

-0.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.54 CA$20.33

$15.60 CA$21.83

-6.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 CA$2.91

$2.58 CA$3.61

-19.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.07

$3.23 CA$4.52

-9.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 CA$4.22

$2.96 CA$4.14

2.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100.0 CA$140

$91.1 CA$127

9.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 CA$3.81

$3.17 CA$4.43

-14.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.39 CA$1.95

11.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.55 CA$39.93

$27.67 CA$38.70

3.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.25 CA$1.75

4.80%

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

$28.7K CA$40.2K

$28.3K CA$39.6K

1.42%

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

$19.4K CA$27.1K

$21.3K CA$29.8K

-9.03%

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

$131 CA$183

$178 CA$249

-26.34%

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

$37.41 CA$52.3

$39.31 CA$55.0

-4.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 CA$75.6

$50.9 CA$71.2

6.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.46 CA$44.01

$54.7 CA$76.5

-42.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.66 CA$34.50

$18.77 CA$26.25

31.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 CA$17.25

$14.55 CA$20.36

-15.26%

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

$1,077 CA$1,507

$812 CA$1,135

32.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K CA$15.1K

$16.4K CA$23.0K

-34.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 CA$89.7

$59.4 CA$83.1

7.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.41 CA$53.7

$40.33 CA$56.4

-4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 CA$117

$92.2 CA$129

-9.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$155

$113 CA$158

-1.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 CA$2,562

$1,284 CA$1,796

42.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 CA$2,168

$1,018 CA$1,424

52.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,143 CA$4,396

$1,977 CA$2,766

58.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,140 CA$4,393

$1,746 CA$2,443

79.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,401 CA$11.8K

$3,571 CA$4,995

135.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,679 CA$9,343

$3,359 CA$4,698

98.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,153 CA$4,410

$3,213 CA$4,495

-1.88%

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 North Vancouver: September 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,832 in North Vancouver and $1,284 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: $66.0 in North Vancouver vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $395 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 Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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: $1,832 in North Vancouver versus $1,284 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 $66.0 in North Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,769 per month in North Vancouver versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,769 in North Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in North Vancouver. 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 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 18% less than in North Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.