Cost of Living Comparison Between Peterborough and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Peterborough and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,360 in Peterborough versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,270 in Peterborough versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,180 in Peterborough versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Peterborough costs roughly 4% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Peterborough 77% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.88 CA$20.93

$18.33 CA$25.79

-18.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 CA$105

$69.9 CA$98.3

6.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.78

$10.95 CA$15.41

2.47%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.69

$3.74 CA$5.26

8.29%

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

$1.72 CA$2.42

$2.04 CA$2.87

-15.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.67 CA$2.35

-13.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.22

$5.20 CA$7.32

12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 CA$8.47

$6.71 CA$9.45

-10.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.21

$2.25 CA$3.16

1.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 CA$3.37

$2.75 CA$3.87

-12.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.75

$3.23 CA$4.54

-17.65%

Eggs

$3.17 CA$4.46

$3.45 CA$4.85

-8.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 CA$14.06

$14.40 CA$20.26

-30.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.32 CA$15.92

$12.89 CA$18.13

-12.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.62

$15.86 CA$22.32

-7.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$4.30 CA$6.05

-16.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.75

$1.34 CA$1.89

-7.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.05

$3.85 CA$5.42

-25.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.93

$4.25 CA$5.99

-17.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 CA$2.23

$2.55 CA$3.58

-38.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.64

$2.62 CA$3.69

-1.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 CA$2.69

$2.80 CA$3.94

-31.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.28

$1.95 CA$2.74

-16.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.26 CA$17.25

$14.97 CA$21.06

-18.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 CA$18.20

$13.90 CA$19.57

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$2.92 CA$4.11

-12.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.53

$3.91 CA$5.50

-53.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 CA$2.76

$2.74 CA$3.85

-28.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 CA$75.2

$87.8 CA$124

-39.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.47

$3.60 CA$5.06

-11.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 CA$0.97

$1.30 CA$1.83

-46.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.88 CA$30.79

$28.70 CA$40.39

-23.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.54

$1.12 CA$1.57

-2.68%

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

$24.5K CA$34.5K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-3.67%

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

$21.1K CA$29.6K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-3.11%

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

$177 CA$248

$213 CA$300

-17.12%

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

$42.05 CA$59.2

$40.96 CA$57.6

2.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 CA$74.0

$57.9 CA$81.5

-9.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.96 CA$66.1

$54.2 CA$76.2

-13.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.48 CA$20.37

$53.8 CA$75.6

-73.06%

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 CA$20.01

$12.63 CA$17.77

12.59%

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

$426 CA$599

$874 CA$1,230

-51.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.5K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-30.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.29 CA$65.1

$58.6 CA$82.5

-21.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.18 CA$41.06

$47.01 CA$66.2

-37.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 CA$116

$85.1 CA$120

-3.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 CA$118

$108 CA$151

-21.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,964

$1,380 CA$1,942

1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 CA$1,746

$1,159 CA$1,631

7.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 CA$2,364

$2,324 CA$3,270

-27.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 CA$2,350

$1,905 CA$2,680

-12.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,557 CA$9,226

$3,786 CA$5,327

73.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,244 CA$8,786

$3,511 CA$4,940

77.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,977 CA$4,189

$2,940 CA$4,136

1.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.71

6.48%

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

Last update for Peterborough: July 14, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Peterborough and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Peterborough pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75.0 in Peterborough vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $334 vs $396, with Peterborough 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

Peterborough vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Peterborough is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Peterborough, 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: $1,396 in Peterborough 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 Peterborough – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,360 per month in Peterborough versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,360 in Peterborough versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Peterborough but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Peterborough the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Peterborough 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.

Expats usually find Peterborough gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.