Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,335 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,344 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,396 in Cambridge Bay versus $3,499 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,456 in Cambridge Bay versus $4,655 in Calgary.

Monthly costs are close between Cambridge Bay and Calgary; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge Bay 69% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.64 CA$31.40

$18.45 CA$25.59

22.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.0 CA$94.4

$71.5 CA$99.2

-4.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.12

$10.68 CA$14.81

2.06%

Cappuccino

$3.61 CA$5.01

$3.93 CA$5.46

-8.14%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.25

$1.97 CA$2.73

-17.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 CA$7.60

$4.92 CA$6.82

11.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 CA$7.78

$5.90 CA$8.19

-4.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CA$2.85

$2.03 CA$2.82

1.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$2.86 CA$3.97

-11.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$5.72 CA$7.93

-42.83%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.95

$3.81 CA$5.29

-6.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CA$14.24

$11.56 CA$16.04

-11.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.87 CA$16.46

$11.95 CA$16.57

-0.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 CA$20.25

$18.97 CA$26.30

-23.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.28

$4.91 CA$6.81

-22.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.42 CA$1.97

-4.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.23

$4.36 CA$6.04

-13.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.39

$4.03 CA$5.59

-3.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.72 CA$3.77

-3.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.88 CA$3.99

-24.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$2.57 CA$3.57

-4.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.30

$1.49 CA$2.07

11.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$14.71 CA$20.40

-0.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 CA$17.32

$15.57 CA$21.59

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$2.52 CA$3.50

9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.44

$3.27 CA$4.53

-2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.32

$2.94 CA$4.07

-18.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 CA$88.8

$89.8 CA$125

-28.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$3.30 CA$4.58

-10.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.37 CA$1.90

9.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.10 CA$33.43

$27.07 CA$37.54

-10.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.57

$1.22 CA$1.69

-7.38%

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

$28.9K CA$40.1K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

1.10%

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

$19.5K CA$27.0K

$20.9K CA$28.9K

-6.76%

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

$139 CA$192

$182 CA$253

-23.92%

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

$39.86 CA$55.3

$39.50 CA$54.8

0.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 CA$77.4

$51.4 CA$71.2

8.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 CA$57.5

$54.8 CA$75.9

-24.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.74 CA$25.99

$18.79 CA$26.06

-0.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 CA$16.08

$14.52 CA$20.14

-20.18%

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

$775 CA$1,074

$819 CA$1,135

-5.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K CA$18.4K

$16.3K CA$22.7K

-18.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CA$74.8

$61.8 CA$85.8

-12.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.08 CA$54.2

$40.15 CA$55.7

-2.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$94.3 CA$131

-6.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$142

$114 CA$158

-9.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 CA$1,764

$1,256 CA$1,741

1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 CA$1,588

$1,089 CA$1,510

5.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 CA$2,751

$1,994 CA$2,766

-0.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 CA$2,444

$1,706 CA$2,366

3.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,315 CA$5,984

$3,627 CA$5,031

18.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,690 CA$5,117

$3,403 CA$4,719

8.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,502

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.48

4.46%

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

Last update for Cambridge Bay: September 5, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,272 in Cambridge Bay and $1,256 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $401 per month, with Cambridge Bay 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

Cambridge Bay vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $3,503 in Cambridge Bay and $3,516 in Calgary to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,272 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,256 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $775 in Cambridge Bay versus $819 in Calgary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge Bay – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,335 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,344 in Calgary, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cambridge Bay but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge Bay 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.

It comes down to priorities – Cambridge Bay wins on affordability, Calgary on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.