Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Roanoke, VA and Calgary

For one person, living costs are similar in Roanoke, VA and in Calgary: $2,212 and $2,223 a month, rent and utilities included.

Roanoke, VA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,212
/mo nomad
Calgary
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Roanoke, VA and in Calgary

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Roanoke, VA and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,212 in Roanoke, VA versus $2,223 in Calgary.

  • Roanoke, VA $2,212
  • Calgary $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,269 in Roanoke, VA versus $3,301 in Calgary.

  • Roanoke, VA $3,269
  • Calgary $3,301

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,325 in Roanoke, VA versus $4,379 in Calgary.

  • Roanoke, VA $4,325
  • Calgary $4,379

Monthly costs are close between Roanoke, VA and Calgary; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Roanoke, VA 64% above, Calgary 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Roanoke, VA
Calgary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.35 $17.35
$17.22 CA$24.34
0.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.3 $55.3
$71.1 CA$100
-22.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.82 $11.82
$10.53 CA$14.89
12.25%
Cappuccino
$5.41 $5.41
$3.66 CA$5.18
47.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.98 CA$2.80
18.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 $2.38
$1.94 CA$2.74
22.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.55 $4.55
$4.95 CA$7.00
-8.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.20 $7.20
$5.57 CA$7.87
29.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Roanoke, VA
Calgary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.88 CA$2.65
-53.19%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 $2.94
$2.67 CA$3.78
10.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$5.32 CA$7.52
-18.61%
Eggs
$3.36 $3.36
$3.79 CA$5.35
-11.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.26 $14.26
$11.09 CA$15.68
28.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 $10.34
$11.36 CA$16.05
-8.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 $16.97
$18.40 CA$26.01
-7.77%
Apples (1kg)
$5.34 $5.34
$4.56 CA$6.45
17.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.16 $1.16
$1.44 CA$2.04
-19.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.73 $3.73
$4.08 CA$5.76
-8.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.59 $4.59
$3.89 CA$5.50
17.99%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 $2.26
$2.64 CA$3.73
-14.39%
Onion (1kg)
$3.19 $3.19
$2.64 CA$3.73
20.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.18 $2.18
$2.50 CA$3.54
-12.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.07 $2.07
$1.50 CA$2.12
38.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.21 $9.21
$14.05 CA$19.86
-34.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.15 $12.15
$15.70 CA$22.20
-22.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 $1.70
$2.44 CA$3.45
-30.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 $1.46
$3.09 CA$4.37
-52.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Roanoke, VA
Calgary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.79 $1.79
$2.82 CA$3.99
-36.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$114 $114
$88.6 CA$125
28.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.12 CA$4.41
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 $0.60
$1.35 CA$1.91
-55.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$27.02 CA$38.20
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.93 $0.93
$1.16 CA$1.64
-19.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$27.9K CA$39.5K
31.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K $25.3K
$20.3K CA$28.8K
24.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roanoke, VA
Calgary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 $123
$161 CA$227
-23.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.0 $55.0
$38.13 CA$53.9
44.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.5 $64.5
$50.0 CA$70.7
28.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Roanoke, VA
Calgary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.84 $37.84
$51.5 CA$72.8
-26.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.91 $22.91
$18.14 CA$25.64
26.30%
Cinema Ticket
$12.93 $12.93
$13.82 CA$19.54
-6.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Roanoke, VA
Calgary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$572 $572
$786 CA$1,111
-27.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$15.5K CA$21.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Roanoke, VA
Calgary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.07 $45.07
$58.3 CA$82.4
-22.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.44 $34.44
$39.27 CA$55.5
-12.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.3 $90.3
$89.8 CA$127
0.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 $134
$110 CA$155
22.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Roanoke, VA
Calgary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,178 $1,178
$1,229 CA$1,737
-4.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$982 $982
$1,001 CA$1,415
-1.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,765 $1,765
$1,921 CA$2,716
-8.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,601 $1,601
$1,621 CA$2,292
-1.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,999 $1,999
$3,549 CA$5,018
-43.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,963 $1,963
$3,335 CA$4,715
-41.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Roanoke, VA
Calgary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,312 $3,312
$3,165 CA$4,474
4.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.81
4.51
51.00%

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

Last update for Roanoke, VA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Roanoke, VA
$982
Calgary
$1K 2% $20
Groceries & Markets
Roanoke, VA
$368
Calgary
$385 4.6% $17
Eating Out
Roanoke, VA
$295
Calgary
$265 10.3% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roanoke, VA
$243
Calgary
$249 2.5% $6.2
Clothing & Footwear
Roanoke, VA
$137
Calgary
$134 2.2% $3
Getting Around
Roanoke, VA
$124 *
Calgary
$110 11.5% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Roanoke, VA
$64
Calgary
$79 24.2% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,178 in Roanoke, VA and $1,229 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Roanoke, VA pays 5% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $55.0 in Roanoke, VA vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $385 per month, with Roanoke, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Roanoke, VA
🇨🇦 Calgary
🕒 Local time
08:18 8:18 AM
06:18 6:18 AM
2 h behind Roanoke, VA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
99,837
1,267,344
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Roanoke, VA Calgary 3,080 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Roanoke, VA
  • Calgary

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Roanoke, VA vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you earn more: Roanoke, VA or Calgary?
Average pay runs 5% higher in Roanoke, VA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Roanoke, VA and Calgary?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,178 in Roanoke, VA versus $1,229 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $572 in Roanoke, VA versus $786 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Roanoke, VA or in Calgary?
Dining out is cheaper in Roanoke, VA – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Roanoke, VA or in Calgary?
At $2,212 in Roanoke, VA versus $2,223 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Roanoke, VA but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Roanoke, VA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Roanoke, VA or in Calgary?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Roanoke, VA wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Roanoke, VA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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