Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Yellowknife Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Yellowknife

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,510 in Calgary versus $3,001 in Yellowknife.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,653 in Calgary versus $4,214 in Yellowknife.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $5,427 in Yellowknife.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 16% less than in Yellowknife, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 87% above, Yellowknife 124% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.65 CA$25.54

$16.74 CA$22.93

11.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$97.4

$88.0 CA$121

-19.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 CA$14.82

$7.64 CA$10.47

41.62%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$3.79 CA$5.19

0.26%

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

$2.05 CA$2.81

$2.54 CA$3.47

-19.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.29

$2.21 CA$3.02

-24.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.15

$5.95 CA$8.16

-12.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.84

$7.15 CA$9.80

-9.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.04

$2.41 CA$3.30

-7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$2.76 CA$3.79

0.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.67

$4.98 CA$6.82

-31.53%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.75

$3.28 CA$4.50

5.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.75

$7.36 CA$10.08

95.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.61

$16.98 CA$23.26

-24.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 CA$22.25

$16.36 CA$22.42

-0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$4.83 CA$6.61

-7.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.52 CA$2.09

-14.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$5.53 CA$7.58

-32.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.86

$7.87 CA$10.79

-45.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.66

$4.69 CA$6.43

-43.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$3.74 CA$5.12

-28.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.76

$3.57 CA$4.89

-22.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CA$2.69

$1.10 CA$1.50

78.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 CA$19.94

$17.58 CA$24.09

-17.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.66 CA$20.09

$14.92 CA$20.44

-1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.86

$4.53 CA$6.21

-37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.47

$6.56 CA$8.98

-39.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$2.19 CA$3.01

25.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.7 CA$119

$56.3 CA$77.1

54.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 CA$4.90

$3.26 CA$4.47

9.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CA$1.77

$1.39 CA$1.91

-7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.58 CA$39.15

$25.51 CA$34.95

12.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$1.25 CA$1.72

-13.60%

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

$25.4K CA$34.8K

$25.0K CA$34.3K

1.66%

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

$21.6K CA$29.5K

$20.9K CA$28.7K

3.04%

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

$215 CA$294

$393 CA$538

-45.37%

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

$40.83 CA$55.9

$60.8 CA$83.2

-32.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$79.4

$110 CA$151

-47.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 CA$74.0

$75.1 CA$103

-28.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.7 CA$70.9

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 CA$17.21

$10.33 CA$14.15

21.59%

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

$871 CA$1,193

$622 CA$852

39.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.1K

$12.0K CA$16.4K

34.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$80.3

$66.8 CA$91.5

-12.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.97 CA$64.4

$36.17 CA$49.55

29.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$104 CA$142

-16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$150

$122 CA$168

-10.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 CA$1,901

$1,517 CA$2,078

-8.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,618

$1,436 CA$1,967

-17.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 CA$3,202

$2,514 CA$3,444

-7.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,583

$2,165 CA$2,967

-12.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,823 CA$5,237

$3,202 CA$4,387

19.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,596 CA$4,926

$2,889 CA$3,958

24.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,125 CA$4,281

$4,236 CA$5,803

-26.23%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Yellowknife: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,388 in Calgary and $1,517 in Yellowknife. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yellowknife pays 36% 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 $88.0 in Yellowknife for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $450 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 Yellowknife: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Yellowknife earns 36% 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: $1,388 in Calgary versus $1,517 in Yellowknife. 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 $71.0 versus $88.0 in Yellowknife. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,510 per month in Calgary versus $3,001 in Yellowknife – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.