Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Whitehorse Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Whitehorse

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,788 in Whitehorse.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $4,010 in Whitehorse.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $5,233 in Whitehorse.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 13% less than in Whitehorse, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 81% above, Whitehorse 107% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$14.84 CA$20.33

22.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$87.7 CA$120

-20.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$9.34 CA$12.80

17.88%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$4.92 CA$6.75

-24.19%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$2.56 CA$3.50

-22.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$2.18 CA$2.99

-24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$4.04 CA$5.53

30.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$5.01 CA$6.87

32.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$2.26 CA$3.10

-4.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$3.13 CA$4.28

-14.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$4.31 CA$5.90

-21.11%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$3.67 CA$5.03

-10.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$14.03 CA$19.22

4.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$17.17 CA$23.53

-26.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$16.56 CA$22.68

-2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.53 CA$6.20

-1.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$2.05 CA$2.81

-34.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$2.72 CA$3.73

37.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$5.30 CA$7.27

-19.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$1.75 CA$2.40

52.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.16 CA$2.96

20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$3.25 CA$4.45

-15.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$5.83 CA$7.98

-67.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$17.85 CA$24.46

-16.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$17.94 CA$24.57

-20.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$3.66 CA$5.01

-20.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$4.43 CA$6.07

-10.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$1.80 CA$2.47

48.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$45.52 CA$62.4

93.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.61 CA$4.95

-1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$2.84 CA$3.89

-52.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$25.29 CA$34.64

15.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.33 CA$1.82

-15.04%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$19.9K CA$27.3K

26.05%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$20.2K CA$27.7K

9.90%

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

$218 CA$299

$214 CA$293

2.07%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$47.54 CA$65.1

-12.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$101 CA$138

-42.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$52.9 CA$72.5

1.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

$42.90 CA$58.8

22.10%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$11.56 CA$15.84

9.52%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$150 CA$205

490.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$11.7K CA$16.1K

37.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$53.3 CA$73.0

9.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$40.32 CA$55.2

19.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$84.7 CA$116

4.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$107 CA$146

-0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$1,550 CA$2,123

-9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$1,376 CA$1,885

-13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$2,393 CA$3,278

-4.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$2,155 CA$2,952

-13.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$5,865 CA$8,035

-35.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$3,092 CA$4,237

13.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$3,628 CA$4,970

-14.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

7.09

-19.46%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Whitehorse: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $1,550 in Whitehorse. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Whitehorse pays 16% 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 in Calgary vs $88 in Whitehorse for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $491 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 Whitehorse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Whitehorse earns 16% 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 $1,550 in Whitehorse. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Calgary – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $88.0 in Whitehorse. 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 $2,788 in Whitehorse – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,433 in Calgary versus $2,788 in Whitehorse, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Whitehorse. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Whitehorse. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.