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: $2,344 in Calgary versus $1,909 in Dawson City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Calgary versus $3,334 in Dawson City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,655 in Calgary versus $4,759 in Dawson City.

Living in Calgary is roughly 23% more expensive than in Dawson City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 70% above, Dawson City 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.59

$25.68 CA$35.61

-28.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$99.2

$106 CA$147

-32.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.81

$10.68 CA$14.82

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.46

$4.02 CA$5.57

-2.24%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$1.83 CA$2.53

10.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.62 CA$2.25

21.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$5.37 CA$7.44

-8.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.19

$5.92 CA$8.21

-0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.68 CA$3.71

-24.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$4.24 CA$5.88

-32.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 CA$7.93

$4.94 CA$6.84

15.79%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.29

$5.03 CA$6.98

-24.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.04

$9.94 CA$13.79

16.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.57

$14.84 CA$20.58

-19.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 CA$26.30

$14.64 CA$20.30

29.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.82

$4.24 CA$5.87

15.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.32 CA$1.83

7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$4.30 CA$5.96

1.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.59

$4.27 CA$5.92

-5.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$2.54 CA$3.53

7.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$2.22 CA$3.08

29.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.59 CA$3.60

-0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.60 CA$2.22

-6.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.41

$14.43 CA$20.01

1.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 CA$21.60

$12.57 CA$17.43

23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$2.65 CA$3.68

-4.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$3.11 CA$4.31

5.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.41 CA$3.35

21.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.8 CA$125

$63.1 CA$87.6

42.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$2.87 CA$3.98

14.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.45 CA$2.02

-5.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$24.13 CA$33.47

12.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.18 CA$1.63

3.39%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

0.56%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$19.3K CA$26.8K

7.89%

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

$182 CA$253

$140 CA$195

30.03%

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

$39.50 CA$54.8

$39.49 CA$54.8

0.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.3

$55.7 CA$77.3

-7.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 CA$76.0

$41.92 CA$58.1

30.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 CA$26.07

$18.59 CA$25.78

1.08%

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 CA$20.14

$11.26 CA$15.61

28.95%

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

$819 CA$1,136

$762 CA$1,057

7.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.7K

$13.4K CA$18.5K

22.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$85.8

$65.9 CA$91.4

-6.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.7

$39.23 CA$54.4

2.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$68.8 CA$95.4

37.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$102 CA$142

11.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CA$1,741

$1,289 CA$1,787

-2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,510

$689 CA$956

58.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,766

$1,988 CA$2,757

0.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 CA$2,367

$1,712 CA$2,374

-0.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,627 CA$5,031

$4,254 CA$5,900

-14.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 CA$4,719

$3,714 CA$5,151

-8.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

$2,895 CA$4,014

12.15%

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 Dawson City: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Calgary and $1,289 in Dawson City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 12% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $106 in Dawson City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $411 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $1,256 in Calgary versus $1,289 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 $106 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,344 per month in Calgary versus $1,909 in Dawson City – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,909 in Dawson City versus $2,344 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 23% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.