Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Hay River, NT Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Hay River, NT

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,367 in Hay River, NT.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $3,368 in Hay River, NT.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $4,368 in Hay River, NT.

Living in Calgary is roughly 3% more expensive than Hay River, NT, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Hay River, NT 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$17.04 CA$23.34

6.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$70.1 CA$96.1

-0.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$11.15 CA$15.28

-1.26%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.74 CA$5.12

-0.27%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$2.04 CA$2.80

-2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.71 CA$2.34

-3.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$5.43 CA$7.44

-2.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$5.75 CA$7.87

15.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.19 CA$3.00

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.72 CA$3.73

-1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.48 CA$4.77

-2.30%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$3.52 CA$4.82

-6.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$11.26 CA$15.43

30.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$11.68 CA$16.00

7.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$14.67 CA$20.09

9.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.13 CA$5.65

7.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.40 CA$1.92

-4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.75 CA$5.14

-0.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.86 CA$5.28

11.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$2.50 CA$3.43

6.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.57 CA$3.52

1.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.62 CA$3.59

4.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.71 CA$2.34

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$13.75 CA$18.83

8.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$12.99 CA$17.79

10.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$2.93 CA$4.02

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.18 CA$4.36

24.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.34 CA$3.21

14.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$63.5 CA$87.0

38.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.25 CA$4.46

9.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.42 CA$1.95

-5.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$26.14 CA$35.81

12.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.17 CA$1.61

-3.42%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$24.7K CA$33.9K

1.64%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$20.3K CA$27.8K

9.62%

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

$218 CA$299

$140 CA$192

55.54%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$44.03 CA$60.3

-5.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$62.0 CA$84.9

-6.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$41.78 CA$57.2

28.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$11.57 CA$15.86

9.42%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$735 CA$1,008

20.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$11.8K CA$16.2K

35.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$54.3 CA$74.4

6.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$39.31 CA$53.9

22.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$88.0 CA$121

0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$105 CA$144

0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,332 CA$1,825

4.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$1,179 CA$1,615

0.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$2,033 CA$2,785

12.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,814 CA$2,485

2.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$3,893 CA$5,333

-2.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$3,868 CA$5,299

-9.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$4,348 CA$5,956

-28.30%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Hay River, NT: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $1,332 in Hay River, NT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hay River, NT pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $70 in Hay River, NT. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $367, with Hay River, NT 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 Hay River, NT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Hay River, NT earns 39% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,396 in Calgary versus $1,332 in Hay River, NT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $2,367 in Hay River, NT – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,367 in Hay River, NT versus $2,433 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hay River, NT but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Hay River, NT 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 Hay River, NT 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.