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: $2,398 in Tofino versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Tofino versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,822 in Tofino versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Tofino costs roughly 3% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tofino 79% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.83 CA$20.86

$18.33 CA$25.79

-19.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 CA$104

$69.9 CA$98.3

5.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 CA$13.06

$10.95 CA$15.41

-15.25%

Cappuccino

$4.04 CA$5.69

$3.74 CA$5.26

8.02%

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

$1.80 CA$2.53

$2.04 CA$2.87

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.67 CA$2.35

-22.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.23

$5.20 CA$7.32

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 CA$7.64

$6.71 CA$9.45

-19.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CA$3.04

$2.25 CA$3.16

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.79

$2.75 CA$3.87

-2.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.53

$3.23 CA$4.54

43.65%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.60

$3.45 CA$4.85

-5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 CA$15.39

$14.40 CA$20.26

-24.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 CA$10.49

$12.89 CA$18.13

-42.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 CA$15.51

$15.86 CA$22.32

-30.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.18

$4.30 CA$6.05

2.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.26

$1.34 CA$1.89

20.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.18

$3.85 CA$5.42

14.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.97

$4.25 CA$5.99

-0.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.30

$2.55 CA$3.58

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.81

$2.62 CA$3.69

57.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 CA$4.03

$2.80 CA$3.94

2.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.67

$1.95 CA$2.74

-2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.81

$14.97 CA$21.06

-1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 CA$21.24

$13.90 CA$19.57

8.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.55

$2.92 CA$4.11

-13.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$3.91 CA$5.50

-32.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.26

$2.74 CA$3.85

-15.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 CA$88.2

$87.8 CA$124

-28.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 CA$4.63

$3.60 CA$5.06

-8.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.97

$1.30 CA$1.83

7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.00 CA$36.58

$28.70 CA$40.39

-9.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$1.12 CA$1.57

26.79%

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

$25.0K CA$35.1K

$25.5K CA$35.8K

-2.07%

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

$19.8K CA$27.8K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-9.09%

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

$105 CA$148

$213 CA$300

-50.58%

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

$44.95 CA$63.3

$40.96 CA$57.6

9.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 CA$76.9

$57.9 CA$81.5

-5.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 CA$59.4

$54.2 CA$76.2

-22.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$12.63 CA$17.77

-12.19%

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

$992 CA$1,396

$874 CA$1,230

13.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.3K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-26.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$77.3

$58.6 CA$82.5

-6.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 CA$75.8

$47.01 CA$66.2

14.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 CA$131

$85.1 CA$120

9.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 CA$115

$108 CA$151

-23.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 CA$1,915

$1,380 CA$1,942

-1.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,832

$1,159 CA$1,631

12.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,638 CA$5,119

$2,324 CA$3,270

56.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,405 CA$4,792

$1,905 CA$2,680

78.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,811 CA$6,769

$3,786 CA$5,327

27.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,449 CA$4,854

$3,511 CA$4,940

-1.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 CA$1,817

$2,940 CA$4,136

-56.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

-12.43%

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

Last update for Tofino: July 14, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,361 in Tofino and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 128% 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: $74.0 in Tofino vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $396, with Tofino 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

Tofino vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tofino is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 128% 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: $1,361 in Tofino versus $1,380 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tofino – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,398 per month in Tofino versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,398 in Tofino versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tofino but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Tofino 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 Tofino gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.