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: $2,432 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,510 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,442 in Cambridge Bay versus $3,653 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,451 in Cambridge Bay versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Cambridge Bay costs roughly 3% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge Bay 82% above, Calgary 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.35 CA$31.99

$18.65 CA$25.54

25.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$97.4

-0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.19 CA$15.33

$10.82 CA$14.82

3.42%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.07

$3.80 CA$5.21

-2.63%

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

$2.03 CA$2.78

$2.05 CA$2.81

-0.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.25

$1.67 CA$2.29

-1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.58 CA$7.65

$5.22 CA$7.15

6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 CA$8.17

$6.45 CA$8.84

-7.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CA$3.02

$2.22 CA$3.04

-0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.73

$2.78 CA$3.81

-2.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CA$4.94

$3.41 CA$4.67

5.87%

Eggs

$3.49 CA$4.78

$3.47 CA$4.75

0.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 CA$15.44

$14.42 CA$19.75

-21.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 CA$15.91

$12.85 CA$17.61

-9.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 CA$19.93

$16.24 CA$22.25

-10.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.39

$4.46 CA$6.11

-11.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.87

$1.30 CA$1.78

4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$4.96

$3.73 CA$5.11

-2.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.10

$4.27 CA$5.86

-12.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.45

$2.67 CA$3.66

-5.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.40

$2.68 CA$3.67

-7.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.42

$2.75 CA$3.76

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.36

$1.96 CA$2.69

-12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.71 CA$18.78

$14.55 CA$19.94

-5.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 CA$15.58

$14.66 CA$20.09

-22.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.85

$2.81 CA$3.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.15

$3.99 CA$5.47

-24.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.30

$2.74 CA$3.75

-12.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 CA$85.9

$86.7 CA$119

-27.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.29

$3.58 CA$4.90

-12.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.29 CA$1.77

11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.92 CA$35.50

$28.58 CA$39.15

-9.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.52

$1.08 CA$1.48

2.78%

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

$24.7K CA$33.8K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

-2.93%

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

$20.9K CA$28.6K

$21.6K CA$29.5K

-2.98%

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

$141 CA$194

$215 CA$294

-34.12%

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

$43.08 CA$59.0

$40.83 CA$55.9

5.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 CA$87.1

$57.9 CA$79.4

9.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.80 CA$57.3

$54.0 CA$74.0

-22.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.7 CA$70.9

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 CA$15.65

$12.56 CA$17.21

-9.00%

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

$742 CA$1,017

$871 CA$1,193

-14.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.3K

$16.1K CA$22.1K

-26.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CA$75.8

$58.6 CA$80.3

-5.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.00 CA$53.4

$46.97 CA$64.4

-16.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 CA$116

$86.3 CA$118

-1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$144

$109 CA$150

-3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 CA$1,822

$1,388 CA$1,901

-4.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 CA$1,629

$1,181 CA$1,618

0.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,054 CA$2,814

$2,337 CA$3,202

-12.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 CA$2,443

$1,886 CA$2,583

-5.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,177 CA$7,093

$3,823 CA$5,237

35.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,057 CA$5,558

$3,596 CA$4,926

12.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,125 CA$4,281

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.71

13.13%

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

Last update for Cambridge Bay: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calgary: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,330 in Cambridge Bay and $1,388 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $399 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

Cambridge Bay is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,649 in Cambridge Bay and $3,766 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: $1,330 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,388 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $2,432 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $2,510 in Calgary – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,432 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,510 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.

Expats usually find Cambridge Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.