Cost of Living Comparison Between Prince George and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Prince George and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,228 in Prince George versus $2,481 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,349 in Prince George versus $3,599 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,470 in Prince George versus $4,716 in Calgary.

Living in Prince George costs roughly 10% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Prince George 67% above, Calgary 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 CA$25.35

$18.64 CA$26.12

-2.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$102

$70.3 CA$98.5

3.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 CA$12.19

$11.26 CA$15.78

-22.74%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.43

$3.70 CA$5.19

4.59%

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

$2.26 CA$3.17

$2.05 CA$2.88

10.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.28

$1.67 CA$2.34

40.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 CA$8.37

$5.26 CA$7.37

13.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.45 CA$11.84

$6.74 CA$9.44

25.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.82

$2.23 CA$3.12

-9.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 CA$3.28

$2.75 CA$3.86

-14.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 CA$6.76

$3.28 CA$4.60

46.95%

Eggs

$5.12 CA$7.18

$3.40 CA$4.77

50.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 CA$9.33

$14.45 CA$20.25

-53.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.12 CA$18.39

$12.58 CA$17.63

4.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 CA$23.19

$15.85 CA$22.20

4.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.80

$4.42 CA$6.19

-6.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$1.34 CA$1.88

116.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.31

$3.84 CA$5.38

35.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 CA$7.24

$4.33 CA$6.07

19.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.54 CA$3.57

21.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.17

$2.73 CA$3.83

9.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 CA$4.50

$2.69 CA$3.77

19.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$4.03

$1.90 CA$2.66

51.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.88 CA$20.86

$14.81 CA$20.75

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 CA$15.12

$14.43 CA$20.22

-25.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.78

$2.94 CA$4.12

88.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.05

$3.98 CA$5.58

-27.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.78

$2.70 CA$3.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.38 CA$62.2

$88.3 CA$124

-49.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 CA$5.83

$3.42 CA$4.80

21.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.31 CA$1.84

12.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.56 CA$35.82

$28.41 CA$39.82

-10.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$1.12 CA$1.57

12.50%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

2.33%

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

$22.0K CA$30.8K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

1.12%

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

$178 CA$249

$210 CA$295

-15.56%

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

$49.97 CA$70.0

$41.33 CA$57.9

20.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 CA$86.1

$57.8 CA$81.1

6.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.07 CA$63.2

$55.3 CA$77.5

-18.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.27 CA$25.60

$52.2 CA$73.2

-65.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 CA$13.27

$12.47 CA$17.47

-24.06%

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

$609 CA$854

$886 CA$1,242

-31.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.8K

$15.9K CA$22.4K

-24.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

$59.1 CA$82.8

5.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.17 CA$56.3

$47.08 CA$66.0

-14.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 CA$137

$87.1 CA$122

12.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 CA$220

$110 CA$153

43.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,369

$1,415 CA$1,982

-30.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 CA$1,280

$1,180 CA$1,654

-22.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 CA$2,425

$2,374 CA$3,327

-27.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,283

$1,855 CA$2,599

-12.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,755 CA$5,262

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,479 CA$4,875

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,017 CA$4,227

$3,035 CA$4,253

-0.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

5.71

10.68%

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

Last update for Prince George: July 26, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Prince George and $1,415 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 1% 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: $73.0 in Prince George vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $421 vs $396 per month, with Calgary 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

Prince George vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Prince George is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% 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: $977 in Prince George versus $1,415 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Prince George – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,228 per month in Prince George versus $2,481 in Calgary – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,228 in Prince George versus $2,481 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Prince George but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Prince George 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.

Expats usually find Prince George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.