  We initiate the study of the $p$-local commensurability graph of a group,
where $p$ is a prime. This graph has vertices consisting of all finite-index
subgroups of a group, where an edge is drawn between $A$ and $B$ if $[A : A\cap
B]$ and $[B: A\cap B]$ are both powers of $p$. We show that any component of
the $p$-local commensurability graph of a group with all nilpotent finite
quotients is complete. Further, this topological criterion characterizes such
groups. In contrast to this result, we show that for any prime $p$ the
$p$-local commensurability graph of any large group (e.g. a nonabelian free
group or a surface group of genus two or more or, more generally, any virtually
special group) has geodesics of arbitrarily long length.
