Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Inuvik Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Inuvik

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,481 in Calgary versus $2,465 in Inuvik.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,599 in Calgary versus $3,599 in Inuvik.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Calgary versus $4,733 in Inuvik.

Living in Calgary is roughly 1% more expensive than in Inuvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 86% above, Inuvik 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 CA$26.12

$24.53 CA$34.37

-24.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$98.5

$89.3 CA$125

-21.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.26 CA$15.78

$11.10 CA$15.55

1.44%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.86 CA$5.42

-4.15%

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

$2.05 CA$2.88

$2.03 CA$2.84

0.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$1.64 CA$2.30

1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.37

$5.45 CA$7.64

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.44

$5.98 CA$8.38

12.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$2.21 CA$3.10

0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.86

$3.77 CA$5.28

-27.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.60

$5.56 CA$7.80

-41.01%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.77

$3.37 CA$4.72

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 CA$20.25

$15.14 CA$21.22

-4.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.58 CA$17.63

$12.72 CA$17.83

-1.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.85 CA$22.20

$18.62 CA$26.09

-14.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.19

$4.07 CA$5.70

8.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.35 CA$1.89

-0.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.38

$3.77 CA$5.28

1.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.07

$5.62 CA$7.87

-22.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$2.48 CA$3.47

2.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$2.99 CA$4.19

-8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$3.43 CA$4.81

-21.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.66

$1.78 CA$2.50

6.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.75

$14.25 CA$19.97

3.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 CA$20.22

$12.57 CA$17.61

14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.88 CA$4.04

2.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$3.02 CA$4.23

31.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.79

$2.39 CA$3.36

12.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 CA$124

$61.9 CA$86.8

42.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.80

$4.31 CA$6.04

-20.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.44 CA$2.02

-9.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.41 CA$39.82

$26.23 CA$36.75

8.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.66 CA$2.33

-32.53%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$24.8K CA$34.8K

0.32%

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

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$20.6K CA$28.9K

5.38%

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

$210 CA$295

$144 CA$201

46.34%

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

$41.33 CA$57.9

$43.00 CA$60.3

-3.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$81.1

$63.2 CA$88.6

-8.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 CA$77.5

$42.00 CA$58.9

31.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.2 CA$73.2

$21.97 CA$30.79

137.78%

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.47

$11.50 CA$16.11

8.43%

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

$886 CA$1,242

$738 CA$1,034

20.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$11.9K CA$16.7K

33.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$82.8

$53.6 CA$75.1

10.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.08 CA$66.0

$40.37 CA$56.6

16.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 CA$122

$86.1 CA$121

1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$105 CA$147

4.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 CA$1,982

$1,318 CA$1,847

7.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 CA$1,654

$1,160 CA$1,625

1.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 CA$3,327

$2,029 CA$2,843

17.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CA$2,599

$1,797 CA$2,518

3.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,755 CA$5,262

$4,362 CA$6,113

-13.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,479 CA$4,875

$3,622 CA$5,076

-3.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,035 CA$4,253

$3,765 CA$5,276

-19.39%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Inuvik: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,415 in Calgary and $1,318 in Inuvik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Inuvik pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $89.0 in Inuvik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $426 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 Inuvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Inuvik is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Inuvik. 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: $1,415 in Calgary versus $1,318 in Inuvik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Inuvik – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,481 per month in Calgary versus $2,465 in Inuvik – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Inuvik is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Inuvik gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.