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: $2,388 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,517 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,422 in Cambridge Bay versus $3,646 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Cambridge Bay versus $4,776 in Calgary.

Living in Cambridge Bay costs roughly 5% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge Bay 78% above, Calgary 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.67 CA$33.06

$18.37 CA$25.65

28.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$98.9

$69.7 CA$97.4

1.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.13

$10.88 CA$15.19

-0.46%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.33

$3.69 CA$5.16

3.52%

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

$2.03 CA$2.83

$2.03 CA$2.84

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.74 CA$2.43

-2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 CA$7.74

$5.30 CA$7.40

4.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 CA$8.25

$6.74 CA$9.42

-12.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.07

$2.23 CA$3.12

-1.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.80

$2.68 CA$3.75

1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 CA$5.00

$3.35 CA$4.68

6.87%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$4.97

$3.33 CA$4.65

6.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 CA$15.46

$14.41 CA$20.12

-23.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 CA$16.20

$12.50 CA$17.46

-7.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.95 CA$20.88

$16.33 CA$22.81

-8.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.64

$4.28 CA$5.98

-5.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$1.35 CA$1.89

5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.06

$3.74 CA$5.22

-3.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.27

$4.17 CA$5.83

-9.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.34

$2.56 CA$3.58

-6.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.55

$2.68 CA$3.74

-5.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$2.66 CA$3.71

-1.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.88 CA$2.62

-6.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 CA$19.57

$14.66 CA$20.47

-4.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.51 CA$17.47

$14.23 CA$19.87

-12.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 CA$3.95

$2.95 CA$4.12

-4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$3.89 CA$5.44

-21.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$2.71 CA$3.79

-14.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$87.9

$87.7 CA$122

-28.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.33

$3.46 CA$4.83

-10.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.30 CA$1.81

13.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 CA$35.46

$28.30 CA$39.52

-10.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.09 CA$1.52

1.83%

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

$24.8K CA$34.7K

$25.0K CA$34.9K

-0.76%

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

$20.7K CA$28.9K

$22.2K CA$31.0K

-7.00%

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

$145 CA$202

$211 CA$295

-31.41%

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

$44.16 CA$61.7

$40.40 CA$56.4

9.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 CA$85.7

$58.5 CA$81.7

4.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.79 CA$58.4

$53.8 CA$75.1

-22.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.2

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.66

$12.64 CA$17.66

-11.31%

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

$728 CA$1,017

$865 CA$1,208

-15.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$16.1K CA$22.4K

-28.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$76.7

$58.1 CA$81.1

-5.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.02 CA$54.5

$47.18 CA$65.9

-17.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 CA$118

$85.4 CA$119

-0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$150

$106 CA$148

1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,818

$1,416 CA$1,977

-8.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 CA$1,631

$1,153 CA$1,611

1.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 CA$2,835

$2,370 CA$3,309

-14.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,573

$1,864 CA$2,603

-1.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,048 CA$5,653

$3,834 CA$5,354

5.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,771 CA$5,266

$3,443 CA$4,808

9.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,105 CA$4,337

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in Cambridge Bay and $1,416 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $365 vs $393, with Cambridge Bay cheaper for home cooking.

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 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,582 in Cambridge Bay and $3,775 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: $1,302 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,416 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 $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,388 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $2,517 in Calgary – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,388 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,517 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 5% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.