Cost of Living Comparison Between Terrace and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Terrace and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,914 in Terrace versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,928 in Terrace versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,942 in Terrace versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Terrace costs roughly 24% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Terrace 43% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.14 CA$25.20

$18.59 CA$25.83

-2.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 CA$116

$70.0 CA$97.3

18.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.24 CA$15.61

$10.96 CA$15.22

2.55%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.34

$3.73 CA$5.19

3.22%

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

$2.05 CA$2.85

$1.99 CA$2.76

3.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.35

$1.72 CA$2.39

-1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 CA$6.07

$5.01 CA$6.97

-12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.14

$6.50 CA$9.04

-9.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$2.22 CA$3.09

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.67 CA$3.71

2.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 CA$7.49

$3.26 CA$4.53

65.34%

Eggs

$3.98 CA$5.54

$3.35 CA$4.66

18.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 CA$12.58

$14.50 CA$20.14

-37.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.65 CA$21.74

$12.95 CA$17.99

20.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.55

$16.15 CA$22.44

-12.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.17

$4.32 CA$6.00

2.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$1.35 CA$1.88

-5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 CA$4.50

$3.83 CA$5.32

-15.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.41

$4.18 CA$5.81

-6.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.79

$2.65 CA$3.68

30.19%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.33

$2.74 CA$3.81

13.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.58

$2.76 CA$3.84

-6.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 CA$1.40

$1.95 CA$2.71

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 CA$16.56

$14.98 CA$20.81

-20.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.87 CA$19.27

$14.67 CA$20.38

-5.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$2.84 CA$3.95

-22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.60

$4.02 CA$5.58

-53.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$2.80 CA$3.89

-46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.71 CA$45.45

$86.2 CA$120

-62.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.38

$3.60 CA$5.00

-12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.32 CA$1.83

12.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.92 CA$36.02

$29.01 CA$40.31

-10.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.12 CA$1.56

7.14%

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

$28.5K CA$39.6K

$24.9K CA$34.5K

14.53%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$22.0K CA$30.5K

-5.99%

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

$96.6 CA$134

$217 CA$302

-55.51%

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

$39.57 CA$55.0

$41.55 CA$57.7

-4.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 CA$86.4

$58.1 CA$80.7

7.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.46 CA$60.4

$54.7 CA$76.0

-20.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.4

Cinema Ticket

$9.37 CA$13.02

$12.77 CA$17.74

-26.62%

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

$745 CA$1,035

$874 CA$1,214

-14.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

-27.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.97 CA$52.8

$58.8 CA$81.7

-35.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.04 CA$44.52

$46.47 CA$64.6

-31.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 CA$114

$87.2 CA$121

-5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.07 CA$64.0

$109 CA$151

-57.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 CA$1,455

$1,414 CA$1,964

-25.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 CA$1,192

$1,172 CA$1,629

-26.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,693 CA$2,352

$2,319 CA$3,222

-27.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,399 CA$1,944

$1,886 CA$2,621

-25.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,481 CA$6,226

$3,892 CA$5,407

15.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,682 CA$5,116

$3,503 CA$4,867

5.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,510

$3,149 CA$4,375

3.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.22

5.71

-8.58%

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

Last update for Terrace: June 2, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,047 in Terrace and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Terrace pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $83.0 in Terrace vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $381 vs $397, with Terrace 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

Terrace vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Terrace is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Terrace pays 3% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,047 in Terrace versus $1,414 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Terrace – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,914 per month in Terrace versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,914 in Terrace versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Terrace but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Terrace 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 Terrace gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.