Cost of living

Vancouver vs Calgary: cost of living compared

Compare monthly rent, groceries, transport, dining, and utilities in Vancouver and Calgary using cited SetTern cost bands — planning only.

Using cited SetTern catalog midpoints, Calgary is about 29% cheaper per month overall. The breakdown below compares rent, groceries, transport, dining, and utilities. These are planning bands, not live listings — confirm with the linked official cost sources.

Calgary is ~29% cheaper overall

MonthlyVancouverCalgary
Rent (1br, catalog)$2,000$1,400
Groceries (band mid)$350$364
Transport (band mid)$125$126
Dining out (band mid)$320$308
Utilities (band mid)$130$182
Living cost avg (catalog)$3,600$2,800

Side-by-side uses cited SetTern catalog midpoints for each city — not live listings. Individual costs vary by neighbourhood and lifestyle; confirm with the linked sources.

Vancouver source · Calgary source · Full city comparison