Cost of Living Comparison Between Quesnel and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Quesnel and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,440 in Quesnel versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,444 in Quesnel versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,447 in Quesnel versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Quesnel is roughly 4% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Quesnel 78% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.70 CA$23.02

$17.94 CA$24.74

-6.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.70 CA$64.4

$70.5 CA$97.3

-33.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.19 CA$15.43

$10.69 CA$14.74

4.68%

Cappuccino

$4.32 CA$5.95

$3.79 CA$5.22

13.98%

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

$2.56 CA$3.53

$2.00 CA$2.76

28.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 CA$2.93

$1.98 CA$2.72

7.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.78 CA$6.60

$5.19 CA$7.16

-7.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 CA$7.84

$5.86 CA$8.08

-3.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.24

$1.95 CA$2.69

20.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 CA$3.38

$2.82 CA$3.89

-13.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.89

$5.61 CA$7.74

-23.89%

Eggs

$5.03 CA$6.94

$3.75 CA$5.17

34.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 CA$17.23

$11.50 CA$15.86

8.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.98 CA$23.42

$11.46 CA$15.81

48.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.22 CA$23.74

$18.95 CA$26.14

-9.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 CA$5.77

$4.83 CA$6.66

-13.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.37 CA$1.89

-3.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 CA$6.49

$4.25 CA$5.86

10.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 CA$5.98

$4.15 CA$5.72

4.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.46

$2.70 CA$3.73

19.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.11

$2.83 CA$3.90

31.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.57

$2.64 CA$3.64

-1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.43

$1.51 CA$2.08

16.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 CA$16.47

$14.60 CA$20.14

-18.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.67 CA$14.72

$15.76 CA$21.73

-32.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 CA$3.67

$2.60 CA$3.58

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.76

$3.08 CA$4.25

12.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$2.93 CA$4.04

-18.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 CA$80.6

$89.3 CA$123

-34.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 CA$3.52

$3.32 CA$4.58

-23.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 CA$3.05

$1.43 CA$1.97

54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.38 CA$59.8

$27.71 CA$38.21

56.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.65

$1.26 CA$1.74

-4.76%

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

$29.3K CA$40.5K

$28.9K CA$39.9K

1.38%

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

$23.4K CA$32.3K

$21.3K CA$29.4K

9.76%

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

$179 CA$247

$183 CA$252

-2.16%

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

$39.51 CA$54.5

$38.31 CA$52.8

3.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 CA$101

$51.7 CA$71.3

42.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 CA$56.6

$54.9 CA$75.7

-25.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.43 CA$25.42

$18.66 CA$25.73

-1.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 CA$10.63

$14.26 CA$19.66

-45.93%

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

$783 CA$1,080

$828 CA$1,142

-5.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K CA$19.7K

$15.9K CA$21.9K

-10.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.51 CA$51.7

$59.6 CA$82.1

-37.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 CA$64.5

$39.47 CA$54.4

18.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 CA$109

$94.3 CA$130

-15.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$113 CA$156

-5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 CA$1,104

$1,265 CA$1,744

-36.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 CA$1,593

$1,051 CA$1,450

9.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 CA$2,756

$1,934 CA$2,667

3.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 CA$2,405

$1,700 CA$2,344

2.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,846 CA$6,683

$3,680 CA$5,075

31.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,186 CA$4,393

$3,333 CA$4,597

-4.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,490 CA$3,433

$3,276 CA$4,518

-24.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.35

4.4

21.59%

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

Last update for Quesnel: August 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $800 in Quesnel and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Quesnel vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $419 vs $397, 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

Quesnel vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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: $800 in Quesnel versus $1,265 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 $47.00 in Quesnel. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,440 per month in Quesnel versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,440 in Quesnel, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Quesnel. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Quesnel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.