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: $1,822 in Thompson versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,820 in Thompson versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Thompson versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Thompson costs roughly 28% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thompson 36% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.64 CA$23.19

$18.59 CA$25.91

-10.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 CA$96.6

$70.0 CA$97.6

-1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 CA$15.36

$10.96 CA$15.27

0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.34

$3.73 CA$5.20

2.68%

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

$1.96 CA$2.73

$1.99 CA$2.77

-1.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.72 CA$2.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.69 CA$7.92

$5.01 CA$6.99

13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 CA$8.18

$6.50 CA$9.06

-9.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CA$2.97

$2.22 CA$3.10

-4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$2.67 CA$3.72

0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.14

$3.26 CA$4.55

13.19%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.74

$3.35 CA$4.67

1.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 CA$15.59

$14.50 CA$20.21

-22.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 CA$16.15

$12.95 CA$18.04

-10.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.93 CA$20.81

$16.15 CA$22.51

-7.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.77

$4.32 CA$6.02

-4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.35 CA$1.89

0.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.15

$3.83 CA$5.33

-3.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.26

$4.18 CA$5.83

-9.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.46

$2.65 CA$3.69

-6.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.46

$2.74 CA$3.82

-9.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.52

$2.76 CA$3.85

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.95 CA$2.72

-9.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.93 CA$19.41

$14.98 CA$20.88

-7.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 CA$17.84

$14.67 CA$20.45

-12.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.11

$2.84 CA$3.96

3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CA$4.34

$4.02 CA$5.60

-22.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.36

$2.80 CA$3.90

-13.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 CA$87.9

$86.2 CA$120

-26.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.45

$3.60 CA$5.02

-11.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.32 CA$1.84

12.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.88 CA$36.06

$29.01 CA$40.43

-10.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.12 CA$1.56

5.36%

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

$25.0K CA$34.9K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

0.61%

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

$20.5K CA$28.6K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-6.76%

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

$145 CA$202

$217 CA$303

-33.16%

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

$43.67 CA$60.9

$41.55 CA$57.9

5.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 CA$87.1

$58.1 CA$80.9

7.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.25 CA$57.5

$54.7 CA$76.3

-24.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.6

Cinema Ticket

$11.28 CA$15.72

$12.77 CA$17.79

-11.67%

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

$732 CA$1,021

$874 CA$1,218

-16.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.6K

$15.9K CA$22.2K

-25.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CA$75.9

$58.8 CA$82.0

-7.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 CA$55.8

$46.47 CA$64.8

-13.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 CA$120

$87.2 CA$121

-0.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$150

$109 CA$152

-1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 CA$988

$1,414 CA$1,970

-49.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 CA$984

$1,172 CA$1,634

-39.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 CA$1,643

$2,319 CA$3,232

-49.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 CA$1,587

$1,886 CA$2,629

-39.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,173 CA$7,210

$3,892 CA$5,424

32.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,846 CA$5,360

$3,503 CA$4,882

9.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,588 CA$2,213

$3,149 CA$4,389

-49.59%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Thompson and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 98% 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: $69.0 in Thompson vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $397 per month, with Thompson cheaper across the board.

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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 98% 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: $709 in Thompson 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 Thompson – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,822 per month in Thompson versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,822 in Thompson versus $2,523 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 38% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.