Cost of Living Comparison Between Arviat and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Arviat and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,347 in Arviat versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,408 in Arviat versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,469 in Arviat versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Arviat costs roughly 5% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arviat 76% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.98 CA$23.96

$18.52 CA$26.12

-8.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 CA$98.4

$70.6 CA$99.6

-1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.45

$11.03 CA$15.55

-0.73%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.32

$3.88 CA$5.48

-2.84%

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

$1.96 CA$2.77

$1.97 CA$2.79

-0.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$1.66 CA$2.34

-0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 CA$7.96

$5.19 CA$7.32

8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 CA$8.11

$6.58 CA$9.28

-12.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.99

$2.21 CA$3.11

-4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.85

$2.67 CA$3.77

2.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.55 CA$5.01

$3.35 CA$4.72

5.97%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.85

$3.39 CA$4.78

1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 CA$15.69

$14.59 CA$20.58

-23.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 CA$16.72

$12.95 CA$18.27

-8.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 CA$20.86

$15.84 CA$22.34

-6.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.76

$4.30 CA$6.07

-5.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.30 CA$1.84

6.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.12

$3.88 CA$5.47

-6.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.42

$4.22 CA$5.96

-9.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.54

$2.55 CA$3.60

-1.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.53

$2.72 CA$3.84

-8.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.71

$2.74 CA$3.87

-4.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.43

$1.93 CA$2.73

-10.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.71 CA$19.33

$15.00 CA$21.15

-8.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.98 CA$16.90

$14.67 CA$20.69

-18.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.15

$2.89 CA$4.07

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CA$4.44

$4.03 CA$5.68

-21.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.36

$2.79 CA$3.94

-14.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 CA$89.5

$85.7 CA$121

-25.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.58

$3.59 CA$5.06

-9.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$1.35 CA$1.91

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.86 CA$36.47

$28.84 CA$40.68

-10.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.58

$1.08 CA$1.53

3.70%

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

$24.8K CA$35.0K

$25.4K CA$35.8K

-2.17%

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

$20.5K CA$29.0K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

-5.30%

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

$142 CA$201

$216 CA$304

-33.90%

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

$43.28 CA$61.1

$41.66 CA$58.8

3.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 CA$87.5

$58.7 CA$82.8

5.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.41 CA$59.8

$53.6 CA$75.6

-20.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.1 CA$73.5

Cinema Ticket

$11.30 CA$15.94

$12.72 CA$17.95

-11.16%

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

$727 CA$1,025

$885 CA$1,248

-17.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.5K

$15.8K CA$22.3K

-25.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 CA$75.8

$57.9 CA$81.7

-7.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.86 CA$56.2

$47.31 CA$66.7

-15.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 CA$120

$88.3 CA$124

-3.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$150

$107 CA$151

-0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 CA$1,857

$1,368 CA$1,929

-3.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 CA$1,670

$1,181 CA$1,666

0.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 CA$2,883

$2,364 CA$3,335

-13.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 CA$2,550

$1,872 CA$2,641

-3.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 CA$5,516

$3,737 CA$5,270

4.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,136 CA$4,423

$3,424 CA$4,829

-8.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,999 CA$4,229

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.71

13.13%

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

Last update for Arviat: July 22, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,317 in Arviat and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Arviat vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $396 per month, with Arviat 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

Arviat vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arviat and Calgary differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,347 vs $2,462 including rent). Arviat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,520 in Arviat and $3,693 in Calgary to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,317 in Arviat versus $1,380 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $727 in Arviat versus $874 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Calgary. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,347 in Arviat versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Arviat but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Arviat 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 Arviat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.