Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dawson City and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Dawson City: $1,888 a month against $2,223 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Calgary outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

91

Cost of Living Index in Dawson City
Learn more

Dawson City Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
Learn more

Calgary Living Index

Jump to prices

Dawson City

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,888

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,223

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dawson City and in Calgary

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dawson City and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,888 in Dawson City versus $2,223 in Calgary.

Dawson City $1,888
Calgary $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,267 in Dawson City versus $3,301 in Calgary.

Dawson City $3,267
Calgary $3,301

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,647 in Dawson City versus $4,379 in Calgary.

Dawson City $4,647
Calgary $4,379

Living in Dawson City costs roughly 15% less than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dawson City 40% above, Calgary 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.14 CA$34.12

$17.22 CA$24.34

40.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 CA$144

$71.1 CA$100

42.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 CA$14.71

$10.53 CA$14.89

-1.14%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.29

$3.66 CA$5.18

2.19%

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

$1.78 CA$2.52

$1.98 CA$2.80

-10.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.22

$1.94 CA$2.74

-19.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.34

$4.95 CA$7.00

4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.84

$5.57 CA$7.87

-0.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.62 CA$3.70

$1.88 CA$2.65

39.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 CA$5.81

$2.67 CA$3.78

53.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.95 CA$6.99

$5.32 CA$7.52

-6.95%

Eggs

$5.00 CA$7.06

$3.79 CA$5.35

31.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 CA$13.66

$11.09 CA$15.68

-12.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 CA$20.65

$11.36 CA$16.05

28.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.38 CA$20.33

$18.40 CA$26.01

-21.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.65

$4.56 CA$6.45

-12.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.44 CA$2.04

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.59

$4.08 CA$5.76

-3.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.73

$3.89 CA$5.50

4.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.43

$2.64 CA$3.73

-7.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.12

$2.64 CA$3.73

-16.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 CA$3.42

$2.50 CA$3.54

-3.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$1.50 CA$2.12

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.27 CA$20.17

$14.05 CA$19.86

1.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 CA$18.05

$15.70 CA$22.20

-18.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.57

$2.44 CA$3.45

3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.20

$3.09 CA$4.37

-3.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 CA$2.80

$2.82 CA$3.99

-29.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.4 CA$86.8

$88.6 CA$125

-30.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.57

$3.12 CA$4.41

3.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.32

$1.35 CA$1.91

21.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.68 CA$33.48

$27.02 CA$38.20

-12.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.67

$1.16 CA$1.64

1.72%

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

$27.9K CA$39.5K

0.10%

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

$18.0K CA$25.5K

$20.3K CA$28.8K

-11.43%

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

$136 CA$193

$161 CA$227

-15.16%

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

$37.51 CA$53.0

$38.13 CA$53.9

-1.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 CA$75.4

$50.0 CA$70.7

6.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 CA$58.1

$51.5 CA$72.8

-20.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 CA$24.82

$18.14 CA$25.64

-3.20%

Cinema Ticket

$12.54 CA$17.73

$13.82 CA$19.54

-9.26%

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

$848 CA$1,199

$786 CA$1,111

7.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K CA$17.8K

$15.5K CA$21.8K

-18.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 CA$89.4

$58.3 CA$82.4

8.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.70 CA$53.3

$39.27 CA$55.5

-4.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 CA$93.7

$89.8 CA$127

-26.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 CA$142

$110 CA$155

-8.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 CA$1,730

$1,229 CA$1,737

-0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 CA$951

$1,001 CA$1,415

-32.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 CA$2,729

$1,921 CA$2,716

0.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 CA$2,418

$1,621 CA$2,292

5.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,427 CA$6,258

$3,549 CA$5,018

24.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,172 CA$4,484

$3,335 CA$4,715

-4.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,819 CA$3,986

$3,165 CA$4,474

-10.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.66

4.51

3.33%

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

Last update for Dawson City: October 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dawson City

$672 35.6%

Calgary

$1K 45% 48.9% $329

Groceries & Markets

Dawson City

$401 21.3%

Calgary

$385 17.3% 4% $16

Eating Out

Dawson City

$320 16.9%

Calgary

$265 11.9% 17.1% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dawson City

$227 12%

Calgary

$249 11.2% 9.5% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Dawson City

$120 6.4%

Calgary

$134 6% 11% $13

Getting Around

Dawson City

$81 4.3%

Calgary

$110 4.9% 36% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Dawson City

$66 3.5%

Calgary

$79 3.6% 19.6% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,224 in Dawson City and $1,229 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 12% 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: $102 in Dawson City vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $385 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Dawson City

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

08:15 8:15 AM

09:15 9:15 AM

1 h ahead of Dawson City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,375

1,267,344

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dawson City Calgary 2,070 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Dawson City
Calgary

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Dawson City vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dawson City is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, transport, and leisure. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Calgary. 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: $1,224 in Dawson City versus $1,229 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dawson City – a meal for two runs $102 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,888 per month in Dawson City versus $2,223 in Calgary – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,888 in Dawson City versus $2,223 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dawson City but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Dawson City 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 Dawson City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.