Cost of Living Comparison Between Tofino and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Tofino and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,391 in Tofino versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,148 in Tofino versus $3,499 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,906 in Tofino versus $4,655 in Calgary.

Living in Tofino is roughly 2% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tofino 73% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$25.24

$18.45 CA$25.59

-1.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$98.7

$71.5 CA$99.2

-0.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

Cappuccino

$4.34 CA$6.01

$3.93 CA$5.46

10.43%

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

$2.33 CA$3.23

$2.02 CA$2.80

15.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.55

$1.97 CA$2.73

-6.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$4.92 CA$6.82

19.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 CA$7.94

$5.90 CA$8.19

-3.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.03 CA$2.82

9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 CA$4.42

$2.86 CA$3.97

11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.86

$5.72 CA$7.93

-26.22%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.84

$3.81 CA$5.29

10.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 CA$13.87

$11.56 CA$16.04

-13.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 CA$10.13

$11.95 CA$16.57

-38.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 CA$15.20

$18.97 CA$26.30

-42.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.48

$4.91 CA$6.81

-19.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.42 CA$1.97

3.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.55

$4.36 CA$6.04

-8.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.74

$4.03 CA$5.59

2.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 CA$4.83

$2.72 CA$3.77

27.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.03

$2.88 CA$3.99

0.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 CA$4.24

$2.57 CA$3.57

19.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$1.49 CA$2.07

69.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.96 CA$20.74

$14.71 CA$20.40

1.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.58 CA$21.61

$15.57 CA$21.59

0.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.95 CA$5.47

$2.52 CA$3.50

56.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 CA$5.05

$3.27 CA$4.53

11.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.34

$2.94 CA$4.07

-18.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 CA$89.5

$89.8 CA$125

-28.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$3.30 CA$4.58

-15.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.18

$1.37 CA$1.90

14.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.49 CA$49.21

$27.07 CA$37.54

31.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.22 CA$1.69

8.20%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

-0.46%

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

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$20.9K CA$28.9K

-9.76%

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

$104 CA$144

$182 CA$253

-43.25%

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

$44.83 CA$62.2

$39.50 CA$54.8

13.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 CA$86.4

$51.4 CA$71.2

21.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.20 CA$58.5

$54.8 CA$75.9

-22.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.86 CA$26.15

$18.79 CA$26.06

0.37%

Cinema Ticket

$10.76 CA$14.92

$14.52 CA$20.14

-25.90%

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

$892 CA$1,237

$819 CA$1,135

8.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K CA$32.4K

$16.3K CA$22.7K

42.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 CA$75.4

$61.8 CA$85.8

-12.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.55 CA$61.8

$40.15 CA$55.7

10.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 CA$126

$94.3 CA$131

-3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$148

$114 CA$158

-6.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 CA$1,831

$1,256 CA$1,741

5.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 CA$1,745

$1,089 CA$1,510

15.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,536 CA$4,904

$1,994 CA$2,766

77.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,313 CA$4,595

$1,706 CA$2,366

94.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,231 CA$5,868

$3,627 CA$5,031

16.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,655 CA$5,068

$3,403 CA$4,719

7.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,304 CA$1,809

$3,246 CA$4,502

-59.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.48

-3.57%

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

Last update for Tofino: September 5, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,320 in Tofino and $1,256 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 149% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Tofino vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $401 per month, with Tofino 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

Tofino vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 149% 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: $1,320 in Tofino versus $1,256 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $2,391 per month in Tofino versus $2,344 in Calgary – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,391 in Tofino, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Tofino. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Tofino. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.