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: $2,517 in Calgary versus $2,459 in Inuvik.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,646 in Calgary versus $3,630 in Inuvik.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,776 in Calgary versus $4,802 in Inuvik.

Living in Calgary is roughly 2% more expensive than Inuvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, Inuvik 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.37 CA$25.65

$24.81 CA$34.64

-25.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 CA$97.4

$90.2 CA$126

-22.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.19

$10.91 CA$15.24

-0.27%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.16

$3.82 CA$5.34

-3.40%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$1.99 CA$2.77

2.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.43

$1.70 CA$2.38

2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.40

$5.39 CA$7.53

-1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.42

$5.77 CA$8.06

16.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$2.10 CA$2.93

6.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.75

$3.63 CA$5.07

-26.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.68

$5.60 CA$7.82

-40.18%

Eggs

$3.33 CA$4.65

$3.45 CA$4.81

-3.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 CA$20.12

$15.52 CA$21.68

-7.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 CA$17.46

$12.73 CA$17.78

-1.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 CA$22.81

$19.04 CA$26.60

-14.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.98

$4.04 CA$5.64

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.36 CA$1.90

-0.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.22

$3.59 CA$5.01

4.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.83

$5.69 CA$7.95

-26.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.39 CA$3.33

7.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$2.87 CA$4.01

-6.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.71

$3.49 CA$4.87

-23.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.79 CA$2.49

5.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.47

$13.72 CA$19.16

6.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.87

$12.47 CA$17.42

14.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$2.84 CA$3.96

3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 CA$5.44

$3.18 CA$4.44

22.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 CA$3.79

$2.41 CA$3.37

12.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 CA$122

$62.6 CA$87.4

40.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 CA$4.83

$4.32 CA$6.03

-19.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.45 CA$2.02

-10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.30 CA$39.52

$26.21 CA$36.60

7.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.67 CA$2.33

-34.73%

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

$25.0K CA$34.9K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

1.88%

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

$22.2K CA$31.0K

$21.0K CA$29.3K

6.06%

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

$211 CA$295

$144 CA$201

46.30%

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

$40.40 CA$56.4

$43.69 CA$61.0

-7.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CA$81.7

$62.4 CA$87.2

-6.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 CA$75.1

$41.46 CA$57.9

29.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.2

$22.15 CA$30.93

142.98%

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 CA$17.66

$11.63 CA$16.24

8.68%

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

$865 CA$1,208

$744 CA$1,040

16.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.4K

$11.8K CA$16.5K

36.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$81.1

$53.3 CA$74.5

8.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.18 CA$65.9

$38.96 CA$54.4

21.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 CA$119

$87.7 CA$122

-2.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

-0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 CA$1,977

$1,312 CA$1,832

7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 CA$1,611

$1,177 CA$1,643

-1.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,370 CA$3,309

$2,056 CA$2,871

15.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 CA$2,603

$1,818 CA$2,539

2.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,834 CA$5,354

$4,375 CA$6,110

-12.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,443 CA$4,808

$3,770 CA$5,265

-8.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,105 CA$4,337

$3,765 CA$5,258

-17.52%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Inuvik: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,416 in Calgary and $1,312 in Inuvik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Inuvik pays 21% 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 $90.0 in Inuvik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Inuvik earns 21% 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: $1,416 in Calgary versus $1,312 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 $90.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,517 per month in Calgary versus $2,459 in Inuvik – a 2% 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 2% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.