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: $1,805 in Thompson versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,785 in Thompson versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,765 in Thompson versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Thompson costs roughly 23% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thompson 31% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.69 CA$23.09

$17.94 CA$24.82

-6.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 CA$102

$70.5 CA$97.6

4.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 CA$14.10

$10.69 CA$14.79

-4.68%

Cappuccino

$3.15 CA$4.35

$3.79 CA$5.24

-16.89%

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

$1.90 CA$2.63

$2.00 CA$2.77

-5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.62

$1.98 CA$2.73

-4.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.71 CA$7.90

$5.19 CA$7.18

10.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 CA$7.60

$5.86 CA$8.11

-6.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CA$2.95

$1.95 CA$2.70

9.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.63

$2.82 CA$3.91

-7.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.61

$5.61 CA$7.77

-40.64%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$4.92

$3.75 CA$5.19

-5.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 CA$14.16

$11.50 CA$15.91

-10.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 CA$16.12

$11.46 CA$15.86

1.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 CA$20.33

$18.95 CA$26.23

-22.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.28

$4.83 CA$6.69

-21.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.37 CA$1.89

-8.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.06

$4.25 CA$5.88

-14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.01

$4.15 CA$5.74

-12.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.52

$2.70 CA$3.74

-5.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CA$3.07

$2.83 CA$3.91

-21.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.41

$2.64 CA$3.65

-6.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.22

$1.51 CA$2.09

6.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.19 CA$19.64

$14.60 CA$20.21

-2.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 CA$17.22

$15.76 CA$21.80

-21.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$2.60 CA$3.59

6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.43

$3.08 CA$4.26

3.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.34

$2.93 CA$4.05

-17.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.5 CA$85.1

$89.3 CA$124

-31.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 CA$4.02

$3.32 CA$4.59

-12.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.35

$1.43 CA$1.98

18.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.17 CA$33.44

$27.71 CA$38.34

-12.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.26 CA$1.74

-11.90%

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

$28.8K CA$39.9K

$28.9K CA$40.0K

-0.36%

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

$21.9K CA$30.3K

$21.3K CA$29.5K

2.66%

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

$139 CA$193

$183 CA$253

-23.84%

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

$39.41 CA$54.5

$38.31 CA$53.0

2.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 CA$78.3

$51.7 CA$71.5

9.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.27 CA$58.5

$54.9 CA$75.9

-22.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.22 CA$26.59

$18.66 CA$25.82

3.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 CA$15.50

$14.26 CA$19.73

-21.46%

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

$756 CA$1,045

$828 CA$1,146

-8.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K CA$18.6K

$15.9K CA$22.0K

-15.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 CA$73.1

$59.6 CA$82.4

-11.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.50 CA$54.7

$39.47 CA$54.6

0.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 CA$119

$94.3 CA$131

-8.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$144

$113 CA$156

-7.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 CA$939

$1,265 CA$1,750

-46.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$681 CA$942

$1,051 CA$1,454

-35.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,128 CA$1,561

$1,934 CA$2,676

-41.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 CA$1,596

$1,700 CA$2,352

-32.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,599 CA$6,364

$3,680 CA$5,092

24.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,073 CA$5,636

$3,333 CA$4,613

22.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,609 CA$2,226

$3,276 CA$4,533

-50.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.4

6.36%

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

Last update for Thompson: September 1, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Thompson and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 104% 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: $73.0 in Thompson vs $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $397, 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 104% 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: $678 in Thompson 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 Thompson – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,805 per month in Thompson versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,805 in Thompson versus $2,353 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 30% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.