Cost of Living Comparison Between Thompson and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Thompson and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,847 in Thompson versus $2,433 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,781 in Thompson versus $3,642 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,716 in Thompson versus $4,850 in Calgary.

Living in Thompson costs roughly 24% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thompson 37% above, Calgary 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.61 CA$22.76

$18.20 CA$24.93

-8.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 CA$97.7

$70.0 CA$95.9

1.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.42

$11.01 CA$15.09

2.18%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.32

$3.73 CA$5.11

4.02%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.65 CA$2.26

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 CA$7.60

$5.27 CA$7.22

5.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 CA$8.28

$6.65 CA$9.11

-9.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.89

$2.15 CA$2.94

-1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.85

$3.40 CA$4.66

4.12%

Eggs

$3.36 CA$4.61

$3.28 CA$4.49

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 CA$15.52

$14.65 CA$20.07

-22.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 CA$16.38

$12.61 CA$17.28

-5.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 CA$19.84

$16.13 CA$22.10

-10.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.48

$4.46 CA$6.11

-10.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.93

$1.34 CA$1.84

5.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.90

$3.73 CA$5.11

-4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.12

$4.29 CA$5.88

-13.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.39

$2.67 CA$3.65

-7.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.51

$2.61 CA$3.57

-1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.56

$2.74 CA$3.76

-5.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.45

$1.90 CA$2.60

-5.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.86 CA$18.98

$14.98 CA$20.52

-7.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 CA$17.92

$14.30 CA$19.59

-8.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.98

$2.90 CA$3.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.25

$3.97 CA$5.44

-21.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$2.68 CA$3.67

-8.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$86.2

$87.9 CA$120

-28.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.31

$3.57 CA$4.88

-11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.03

$1.34 CA$1.84

10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.65 CA$35.13

$29.30 CA$40.15

-12.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.61

$1.13 CA$1.55

4.42%

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

$24.8K CA$34.0K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

-1.09%

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

$20.5K CA$28.0K

$22.2K CA$30.4K

-7.90%

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

$143 CA$196

$218 CA$299

-34.25%

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

$43.17 CA$59.1

$41.44 CA$56.8

4.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 CA$86.8

$58.2 CA$79.7

8.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.30 CA$56.6

$53.7 CA$73.6

-23.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$11.24 CA$15.39

$12.66 CA$17.34

-11.22%

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

$749 CA$1,026

$885 CA$1,212

-15.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.1K

$16.1K CA$22.0K

-26.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$75.4

$58.1 CA$79.6

-5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.03 CA$53.5

$48.22 CA$66.1

-19.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 CA$117

$88.4 CA$121

-3.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$144

$106 CA$146

-0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 CA$952

$1,396 CA$1,913

-50.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 CA$971

$1,186 CA$1,625

-40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 CA$1,589

$2,293 CA$3,142

-49.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 CA$1,563

$1,859 CA$2,547

-38.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,455 CA$6,103

$3,779 CA$5,178

17.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,442 CA$4,715

$3,509 CA$4,808

-1.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,591 CA$2,180

$3,117 CA$4,271

-48.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.71

13.13%

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

Last update for Thompson: April 14, 2026

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Thompson and $1,396 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 96% 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 in Thompson vs $70 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $366 vs $395, with Thompson 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

Thompson vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Calgary earns 96% less. 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: $695 in Thompson versus $1,396 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Thompson – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,847 per month in Thompson versus $2,433 in Calgary – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,847 in Thompson versus $2,433 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Thompson but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Thompson 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 Thompson 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.