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: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 18% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.10

$18.33 CA$25.70

1.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$109

$69.9 CA$98.0

11.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.20

$10.95 CA$15.35

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.51

$3.74 CA$5.24

5.08%

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

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.04 CA$2.86

9.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.67 CA$2.34

4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.48

$5.20 CA$7.29

16.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.23

$6.71 CA$9.41

8.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.23

$2.25 CA$3.15

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$2.75 CA$3.85

11.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.28

$3.23 CA$4.53

16.72%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.06

$3.45 CA$4.83

25.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.63

$14.40 CA$20.19

-12.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.27

$12.89 CA$18.07

6.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.41

$15.86 CA$22.24

0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.98

$4.30 CA$6.02

-0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.34 CA$1.88

13.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.50

$3.85 CA$5.40

1.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.13

$4.25 CA$5.97

19.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$2.55 CA$3.57

25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.33

$2.62 CA$3.68

17.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.64

$2.80 CA$3.92

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.64

$1.95 CA$2.73

-3.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.66

$14.97 CA$20.99

3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.88

$13.90 CA$19.49

7.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$2.92 CA$4.10

6.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.33

$3.91 CA$5.48

-2.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$2.74 CA$3.84

-11.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$116

$87.8 CA$123

-5.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$3.60 CA$5.04

4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.30 CA$1.82

13.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.81

$28.70 CA$40.24

-6.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.12 CA$1.57

16.07%

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

$25.2K CA$35.3K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

-1.13%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

-5.44%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$213 CA$299

-56.89%

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

$39.34 CA$55.2

$40.96 CA$57.4

-3.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.0

$57.9 CA$81.2

4.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.5

$54.2 CA$76.0

-17.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.27

$53.8 CA$75.4

-70.46%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.07

$12.63 CA$17.71

-3.56%

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

$1,185 CA$1,661

$874 CA$1,226

35.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.0K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

16.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

$58.6 CA$82.2

6.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.4

$47.01 CA$65.9

-9.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$133

$85.1 CA$119

11.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$108 CA$151

6.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,775

$1,380 CA$1,935

43.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,304

$1,159 CA$1,625

41.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,015

$2,324 CA$3,259

53.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,901

$1,905 CA$2,670

46.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$3,786 CA$5,308

131.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,936

$3,511 CA$4,922

101.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,739

$2,940 CA$4,121

14.98%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 15% 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 $414 vs $396 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Vancouver, 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: $1,979 in Vancouver 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 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 $2,906 per month in Vancouver versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,906 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. 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 18% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.