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: $2,157 in Prince George versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,302 in Prince George versus $3,470 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,447 in Prince George versus $4,597 in Calgary.

Living in Prince George costs roughly 8% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Prince George 58% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.08 CA$25.28

$17.68 CA$24.72

2.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.4 CA$99.8

$71.2 CA$99.6

0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 CA$12.18

$10.85 CA$15.17

-19.72%

Cappuccino

$4.04 CA$5.65

$3.85 CA$5.39

4.94%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$1.95 CA$2.73

13.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.36

$1.79 CA$2.50

34.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$4.97 CA$6.94

18.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CA$10.18

$5.90 CA$8.25

23.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$1.84 CA$2.58

7.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 CA$3.96

$2.73 CA$3.82

3.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 CA$6.50

$5.44 CA$7.60

-14.52%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.04

$3.63 CA$5.07

19.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 CA$11.92

$11.55 CA$16.14

-26.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.54

$11.57 CA$16.18

20.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 CA$20.33

$18.94 CA$26.49

-23.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.84

$4.95 CA$6.92

-15.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 CA$3.86

$1.42 CA$1.98

94.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.37 CA$7.51

$4.22 CA$5.90

27.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 CA$7.27

$4.09 CA$5.71

27.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.31

$2.56 CA$3.58

20.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$2.82 CA$3.95

-21.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 CA$4.30

$2.57 CA$3.59

19.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CA$2.94

$1.55 CA$2.16

35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.91 CA$20.85

$14.59 CA$20.40

2.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.82

$15.60 CA$21.82

-32.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 CA$7.56

$2.58 CA$3.61

109.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.51

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$2.96 CA$4.14

-40.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.05 CA$60.2

$91.1 CA$127

-52.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 CA$4.20

$3.17 CA$4.43

-5.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.39 CA$1.95

23.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.94 CA$47.46

$27.67 CA$38.68

22.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.81

$1.25 CA$1.75

3.20%

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

$28.1K CA$39.3K

$28.3K CA$39.6K

-0.76%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$21.3K CA$29.8K

-6.80%

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

$174 CA$243

$178 CA$249

-2.22%

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

$41.54 CA$58.1

$39.31 CA$55.0

5.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 CA$84.3

$50.9 CA$71.2

18.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.82 CA$61.3

$54.7 CA$76.5

-19.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 CA$24.79

$18.77 CA$26.24

-5.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 CA$12.92

$14.55 CA$20.35

-36.49%

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

$421 CA$589

$812 CA$1,135

-48.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$23.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.2

$59.4 CA$83.1

6.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 CA$54.9

$40.33 CA$56.4

-2.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 CA$133

$92.2 CA$129

3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 CA$207

$113 CA$158

31.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 CA$1,414

$1,284 CA$1,795

-21.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 CA$1,221

$1,018 CA$1,424

-14.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 CA$2,546

$1,977 CA$2,765

-7.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 CA$2,464

$1,746 CA$2,442

0.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,571 CA$4,992

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,359 CA$4,696

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,104 CA$4,340

$3,213 CA$4,493

-3.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

4.48

10.71%

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

Last update for Prince George: September 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,011 in Prince George and $1,284 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 4% 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: $71.0 in Prince George vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $407 vs $395, with Calgary 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

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

Prince George is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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: $1,011 in Prince George 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 Prince George – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,157 per month in Prince George versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,157 in Prince George versus $2,344 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 9% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.