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<\/p>\nA new study just revealed how much the price of happiness is in major Canadian cities, and Calgary was among the five most expensive.<\/p>\n
Money-transfer company Remitly looked at a Purdue University study on income and happiness, and adjusted the numbers for local purchasing power and inflation.<\/p>\n
And yes, money buys happiness, according to the study, but only up to a point. Past that point, called \u201cincome satiation,\u201d a bigger paycheque stops moving the needle on how satisfied you feel with your life, the study found.<\/p>\n
In Calgary, that point sits at CAD 159,561, which is the fifth highest price for happiness among Canada\u2019s major cities, according to the report.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Victoria has the highest price of happiness of Canada\u2019s major cities (CAD 169,951\/USD 124,047), although it\u2019s less than two per cent higher than that in Vancouver or Toronto, which tied for second place (CAD 166,982\/USD 121,881).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe living wage in Victoria has risen in recent years to keep up with soaring costs of living,\u201d said the study.<\/p>\n
On the other end, the major Canadian city with the lowest price of happiness is Kingston (CAD 140,513\/USD 102,560). This is despite Kingston becoming Canada\u2019s fourth-most-expensive city to rent.<\/p>\n
Overall, Canada\u2019s national price of happiness works out to USD 113,755 \u2014 a bit cheaper than the U.S., where happiness levels off at USD 134,827 per person. China, by comparison, is USD 71,201.<\/p>\n
Remitly got its numbers by reverse-engineering figures obtained from Purdue University\u2019s study into the relationship between happiness and income. Then it adjusted for purchasing power, exchange rates, inflation, and local cost of living using March 2026 data.<\/p>\n