Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Dawson City Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Dawson City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $1,989 in Dawson City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,409 in Dawson City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,829 in Dawson City.

Living in Calgary is roughly 24% more expensive than in Dawson City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Dawson City 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$26.15 CA$36.79

-29.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$107 CA$150

-34.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$10.99 CA$15.46

-0.36%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$4.11 CA$5.79

-9.00%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$1.81 CA$2.54

12.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.72 CA$2.42

-2.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$5.60 CA$7.88

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$5.97 CA$8.41

12.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$2.83 CA$3.98

-20.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$4.32 CA$6.08

-36.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$3.50 CA$4.92

-7.71%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$5.23 CA$7.36

-34.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$11.33 CA$15.94

27.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$15.37 CA$21.63

-16.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$14.72 CA$20.72

7.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$4.33 CA$6.09

-0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.40 CA$1.98

-4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$4.17 CA$5.86

-7.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$4.32 CA$6.08

-1.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$2.42 CA$3.41

5.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$2.59 CA$3.65

1.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$2.63 CA$3.70

6.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.72 CA$2.42

13.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$13.81 CA$19.43

8.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$12.34 CA$17.37

12.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$2.82 CA$3.97

3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$3.14 CA$4.42

24.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$2.32 CA$3.26

18.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$63.8 CA$89.8

37.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$3.09 CA$4.34

16.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.48 CA$2.08

-12.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$26.17 CA$36.83

9.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.16 CA$1.64

-3.45%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$24.7K CA$34.8K

2.97%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$21.0K CA$29.5K

3.68%

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

$213 CA$300

$145 CA$205

46.52%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$43.44 CA$61.1

-5.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$62.2 CA$87.6

-6.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$42.63 CA$60.0

27.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$11.62 CA$16.35

8.69%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$727 CA$1,024

20.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$11.8K CA$16.6K

34.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$66.0 CA$92.8

-11.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$39.26 CA$55.2

19.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$71.2 CA$100

19.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$107 CA$150

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$1,295 CA$1,822

6.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$692 CA$974

67.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$2,046 CA$2,879

13.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$1,811 CA$2,548

5.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

$4,547 CA$6,398

-16.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

$4,122 CA$5,800

-14.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$2,840 CA$3,996

3.50%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dawson City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $1,295 in Dawson City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $107 in Dawson City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $418 per month, with Calgary 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 Dawson City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dawson City is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Calgary, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,380 in Calgary versus $1,295 in Dawson City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dawson City – a meal for two runs $107 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $1,989 in Dawson City – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,989 in Dawson City versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dawson City but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Dawson City 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 Dawson City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.