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: $2,277 in Peterborough versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,258 in Peterborough versus $3,470 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,238 in Peterborough versus $4,597 in Calgary.

Living in Peterborough costs roughly 3% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Peterborough 66% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.41 CA$18.76

$17.68 CA$24.74

-24.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$71.2 CA$99.6

1.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.95

$10.85 CA$15.18

-1.47%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.18

$3.85 CA$5.39

-3.64%

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

$1.80 CA$2.52

$1.95 CA$2.73

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.04

$1.79 CA$2.51

-18.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 CA$8.23

$4.97 CA$6.95

18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 CA$7.95

$5.90 CA$8.25

-3.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$1.84 CA$2.58

40.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 CA$3.34

$2.73 CA$3.82

-12.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.46

$5.44 CA$7.60

-54.41%

Eggs

$3.24 CA$4.53

$3.63 CA$5.07

-10.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 CA$15.90

$11.55 CA$16.15

-1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 CA$15.99

$11.57 CA$16.19

-1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.85 CA$19.38

$18.94 CA$26.50

-26.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.69

$4.95 CA$6.92

-32.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CA$2.04

$1.42 CA$1.98

2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.75

$4.22 CA$5.90

-19.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.76

$4.09 CA$5.72

0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.64

$2.56 CA$3.58

-26.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.21

$2.82 CA$3.95

-18.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$2.57 CA$3.59

-10.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$1.55 CA$2.16

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.43 CA$15.99

$14.59 CA$20.41

-21.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.13 CA$18.37

$15.60 CA$21.83

-15.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.27

$2.58 CA$3.61

-9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.20

$3.23 CA$4.52

-51.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.36

$2.96 CA$4.14

-18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.75 CA$65.4

$91.1 CA$127

-48.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 CA$4.35

$3.17 CA$4.43

-1.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.39 CA$1.95

-10.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.52 CA$30.11

$27.67 CA$38.70

-22.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.25 CA$1.75

-9.60%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$28.3K CA$39.6K

0.91%

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

$19.7K CA$27.5K

$21.3K CA$29.8K

-7.65%

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

$144 CA$201

$178 CA$249

-19.25%

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

$35.09 CA$49.09

$39.31 CA$55.0

-10.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.90 CA$65.6

$50.9 CA$71.2

-7.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 CA$64.1

$54.7 CA$76.5

-16.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.43 CA$20.18

$18.77 CA$26.25

-23.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 CA$16.29

$14.55 CA$20.36

-20.00%

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

$354 CA$495

$812 CA$1,135

-56.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K CA$15.0K

$16.4K CA$23.0K

-34.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.75 CA$59.8

$59.4 CA$83.1

-28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.24 CA$54.9

$40.33 CA$56.4

-2.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 CA$121

$92.2 CA$129

-5.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 CA$104

$113 CA$158

-33.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,977

$1,284 CA$1,796

10.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 CA$1,727

$1,018 CA$1,424

21.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 CA$2,916

$1,977 CA$2,766

5.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 CA$2,564

$1,746 CA$2,443

4.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,705 CA$9,379

$3,571 CA$4,995

87.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,380 CA$8,924

$3,359 CA$4,698

89.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,990 CA$4,183

$3,213 CA$4,495

-6.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.48

0.67%

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

Last update for Peterborough: September 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Peterborough and $1,284 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 7% 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: $72.0 in Peterborough vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $344 vs $395, 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 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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: $1,414 in Peterborough 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 Peterborough – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,277 per month in Peterborough versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,277 in Peterborough versus $2,344 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 3% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.