Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Cambridge Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Cambridge Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,510 in Calgary versus $2,432 in Cambridge Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,653 in Calgary versus $3,442 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,451 in Cambridge Bay.

Living in Calgary is roughly 3% more expensive than Cambridge Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, Cambridge Bay 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.65 CA$25.54

$23.35 CA$31.99

-20.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$97.4

0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 CA$14.82

$11.19 CA$15.33

-3.31%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$3.70 CA$5.07

2.70%

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

$2.05 CA$2.81

$2.03 CA$2.78

0.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.29

$1.64 CA$2.25

1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.15

$5.58 CA$7.65

-6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.84

$5.96 CA$8.17

8.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.04

$2.21 CA$3.02

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.72 CA$3.73

2.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.67

$3.61 CA$4.94

-5.54%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.75

$3.49 CA$4.78

-0.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.75

$11.27 CA$15.44

27.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.61

$11.62 CA$15.91

10.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 CA$22.25

$14.55 CA$19.93

11.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$3.93 CA$5.39

13.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.36 CA$1.87

-4.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.62 CA$4.96

3.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.86

$3.72 CA$5.10

14.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.66

$2.52 CA$3.45

5.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.48 CA$3.40

8.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.76

$2.50 CA$3.42

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CA$2.69

$1.72 CA$2.36

13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 CA$19.94

$13.71 CA$18.78

6.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 CA$20.09

$11.37 CA$15.58

28.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.86

$2.81 CA$3.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.47

$3.03 CA$4.15

31.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$2.41 CA$3.30

13.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.7 CA$119

$62.7 CA$85.9

38.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 CA$4.90

$3.13 CA$4.29

14.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CA$1.77

$1.44 CA$1.97

-10.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.58 CA$39.15

$25.92 CA$35.50

10.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$1.11 CA$1.52

-2.70%

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

$25.4K CA$34.8K

$24.7K CA$33.8K

3.02%

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

$21.6K CA$29.5K

$20.9K CA$28.6K

3.07%

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

$215 CA$294

$141 CA$194

51.79%

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

$40.83 CA$55.9

$43.08 CA$59.0

-5.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$79.4

$63.5 CA$87.1

-8.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 CA$74.0

$41.80 CA$57.3

29.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.7 CA$70.9

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 CA$17.21

$11.43 CA$15.65

9.89%

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

$871 CA$1,193

$742 CA$1,017

17.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.1K

$11.9K CA$16.3K

35.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$80.3

$55.3 CA$75.8

5.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.97 CA$64.4

$39.00 CA$53.4

20.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$84.7 CA$116

1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$150

$105 CA$144

3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 CA$1,901

$1,330 CA$1,822

4.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,618

$1,189 CA$1,629

-0.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 CA$3,202

$2,054 CA$2,814

13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,583

$1,783 CA$2,443

5.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,823 CA$5,237

$5,177 CA$7,093

-26.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,596 CA$4,926

$4,057 CA$5,558

-11.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,125 CA$4,281

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.46

-11.61%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 25, 2026

Last update for Cambridge Bay: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,388 in Calgary and $1,330 in Cambridge Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $71.0 in Cambridge Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $399 vs $360, with Cambridge Bay cheaper for home cooking.

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

Calgary vs Cambridge Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge Bay is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,766 in Calgary and $3,649 in Cambridge Bay 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: $1,388 in Calgary versus $1,330 in Cambridge Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge Bay – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,510 per month in Calgary versus $2,432 in Cambridge Bay – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,432 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,510 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cambridge Bay but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge Bay 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 Cambridge Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.