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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $2,335 in Cambridge Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,396 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $4,456 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs are close between Calgary and Cambridge Bay; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Cambridge Bay 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$22.64 CA$31.40

-18.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$68.0 CA$94.4

5.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$10.90 CA$15.12

-2.02%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$3.61 CA$5.01

8.86%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.63 CA$2.25

20.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$5.48 CA$7.60

-10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.61 CA$7.78

5.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.06 CA$2.85

-1.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.52 CA$3.49

13.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$3.27 CA$4.53

74.92%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$3.57 CA$4.95

6.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$10.27 CA$14.24

12.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$11.87 CA$16.46

0.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$14.60 CA$20.25

29.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.81

$3.81 CA$5.28

28.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.36 CA$1.89

4.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$3.77 CA$5.23

15.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$3.88 CA$5.39

3.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.62 CA$3.64

3.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$2.18 CA$3.03

32.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.46 CA$3.42

4.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.66 CA$2.30

-10.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.40

$14.63 CA$20.29

0.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.59

$12.49 CA$17.32

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$2.76 CA$3.82

-8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$3.20 CA$4.44

2.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.39 CA$3.32

23.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$64.1 CA$88.8

40.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$2.95 CA$4.09

11.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.50 CA$2.08

-8.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$24.10 CA$33.43

12.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.13 CA$1.57

7.96%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$28.9K CA$40.1K

-1.09%

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

$20.9K CA$28.9K

$19.5K CA$27.0K

7.25%

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

$182 CA$253

$139 CA$192

31.44%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$39.86 CA$55.3

-0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.2

$55.8 CA$77.4

-7.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$75.9

$41.43 CA$57.5

32.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.06

$18.74 CA$25.99

0.27%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$11.59 CA$16.08

25.28%

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

$819 CA$1,135

$775 CA$1,074

5.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$13.3K CA$18.4K

23.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$54.0 CA$74.8

14.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$39.08 CA$54.2

2.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$88.0 CA$122

7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$103 CA$142

10.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,272 CA$1,764

-1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$1,145 CA$1,588

-4.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,983 CA$2,751

0.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,366

$1,762 CA$2,444

-3.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

$4,315 CA$5,984

-15.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

$3,690 CA$5,117

-7.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.68

-4.27%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cambridge Bay: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,272 in Cambridge Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $68.0 in Cambridge Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $356 per month, with Cambridge Bay 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

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

You'd need roughly $3,516 in Calgary and $3,503 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: $1,256 in Calgary versus $1,272 in Cambridge Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $819 in Calgary versus $775 in Cambridge Bay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge Bay – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,335 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,344 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.

It comes down to priorities – Cambridge Bay wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.