Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 12% more expensive than Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.37

$18.59 CA$25.83

-1.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$70.0 CA$97.3

11.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.08

$10.96 CA$15.22

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.53

$3.73 CA$5.19

6.70%

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

$2.12 CA$2.94

$1.99 CA$2.76

6.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.72 CA$2.39

3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$5.01 CA$6.97

15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.50

$6.50 CA$9.04

16.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$2.22 CA$3.09

4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$2.67 CA$3.71

16.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.26 CA$4.53

19.33%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.29

$3.35 CA$4.66

35.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.95

$14.50 CA$20.14

-10.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.65

$12.95 CA$17.99

9.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.87

$16.15 CA$22.44

-2.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.91

$4.32 CA$6.00

-1.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.35 CA$1.88

8.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.83 CA$5.32

4.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$4.18 CA$5.81

21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$2.65 CA$3.68

13.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.74 CA$3.81

7.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.61

$2.76 CA$3.84

-5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$1.95 CA$2.71

-3.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.12

$14.98 CA$20.81

1.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.86

$14.67 CA$20.38

-2.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$2.84 CA$3.95

8.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$4.02 CA$5.58

-6.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.80 CA$3.89

-12.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$86.2 CA$120

-1.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.19

$3.60 CA$5.00

3.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.32 CA$1.83

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.11

$29.01 CA$40.31

-5.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.12 CA$1.56

19.64%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$24.9K CA$34.5K

1.02%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$22.0K CA$30.5K

-5.68%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$217 CA$302

-57.75%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$41.55 CA$57.7

-5.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$58.1 CA$80.7

5.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$54.7 CA$76.0

-17.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.79

$52.8 CA$73.4

-70.31%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.18

$12.77 CA$17.74

-3.13%

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

$1,180 CA$1,640

$874 CA$1,214

35.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

17.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$58.8 CA$81.7

6.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.9

$46.47 CA$64.6

-7.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$87.2 CA$121

8.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$109 CA$151

8.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,771

$1,414 CA$1,964

41.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,264

$1,172 CA$1,629

38.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,986

$2,319 CA$3,222

54.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,848

$1,886 CA$2,621

46.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$3,892 CA$5,407

137.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,845

$3,503 CA$4,867

102.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,827

$3,149 CA$4,375

10.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

5.71

-1.75%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 10% 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $397 per month, with Calgary 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

Vancouver vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Vancouver pays 10% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,995 in Vancouver 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 Calgary – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,831 per month in Vancouver versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 12% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.