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: $2,481 in Calgary versus $3,075 in Yellowknife.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,599 in Calgary versus $4,320 in Yellowknife.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Calgary versus $5,564 in Yellowknife.

Living in Calgary costs roughly 19% less than in Yellowknife, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 86% above, Yellowknife 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 CA$26.16

$16.67 CA$23.40

11.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$98.7

$89.2 CA$125

-21.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.26 CA$15.80

$7.69 CA$10.79

46.42%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.73 CA$5.24

-0.80%

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

$2.05 CA$2.88

$2.64 CA$3.70

-22.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$2.19 CA$3.08

-23.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.38

$5.97 CA$8.38

-11.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 CA$9.45

$7.21 CA$10.12

-6.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$2.46 CA$3.45

-9.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.86

$2.67 CA$3.75

3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.60

$4.84 CA$6.79

-32.23%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.40 CA$4.77

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 CA$20.28

$7.52 CA$10.55

92.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.58 CA$17.66

$16.99 CA$23.85

-25.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.85 CA$22.24

$16.42 CA$23.04

-3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.20

$4.91 CA$6.89

-9.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.59 CA$2.23

-15.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.39

$5.35 CA$7.52

-28.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.08

$7.71 CA$10.83

-43.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$4.54 CA$6.37

-44.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$3.65 CA$5.13

-25.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$3.65 CA$5.13

-26.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.67

$1.10 CA$1.54

72.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.79

$17.34 CA$24.33

-14.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 CA$20.25

$14.42 CA$20.24

0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$4.37 CA$6.13

-32.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.59

$6.82 CA$9.57

-41.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.79

$2.25 CA$3.15

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 CA$124

$54.3 CA$76.2

62.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.81

$3.40 CA$4.78

0.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.35 CA$1.90

-2.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.41 CA$39.88

$25.40 CA$35.65

11.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.58

$1.24 CA$1.74

-9.68%

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

$24.9K CA$35.0K

$25.1K CA$35.2K

-0.74%

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

$21.7K CA$30.5K

$20.7K CA$29.0K

5.12%

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

$210 CA$295

$390 CA$547

-46.04%

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

$41.33 CA$58.0

$60.3 CA$84.6

-31.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$81.2

$112 CA$157

-48.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 CA$77.7

$77.3 CA$109

-28.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.2 CA$73.3

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.50

$10.23 CA$14.36

21.90%

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

$886 CA$1,244

$629 CA$883

40.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$11.7K CA$16.4K

36.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$82.9

$67.2 CA$94.4

-12.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.08 CA$66.1

$36.44 CA$51.2

29.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 CA$122

$106 CA$149

-18.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$154

$122 CA$171

-10.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 CA$1,986

$1,497 CA$2,101

-5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 CA$1,657

$1,416 CA$1,988

-16.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 CA$3,332

$2,502 CA$3,511

-5.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CA$2,603

$2,152 CA$3,021

-13.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,755 CA$5,271

$3,068 CA$4,306

22.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,479 CA$4,883

$2,794 CA$3,921

24.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,035 CA$4,260

$3,952 CA$5,547

-23.20%

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 Yellowknife: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,415 in Calgary and $1,497 in Yellowknife. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yellowknife pays 30% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $89.0 in Yellowknife for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $448 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 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Yellowknife. 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 $1,497 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 $70.0 versus $89.0 in Yellowknife. 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 $3,075 in Yellowknife – a 24% 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 24% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.