Cost of Living Comparison Between Dawson City and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Dawson City and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,989 in Dawson City versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,409 in Dawson City versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,829 in Dawson City versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Dawson City costs roughly 19% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dawson City 49% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.15 CA$36.66

$18.33 CA$25.70

42.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 CA$149

$69.9 CA$98.0

52.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 CA$15.40

$10.95 CA$15.35

0.37%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.77

$3.74 CA$5.24

9.89%

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

$1.81 CA$2.53

$2.04 CA$2.86

-11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.41

$1.67 CA$2.34

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 CA$7.86

$5.20 CA$7.29

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 CA$8.38

$6.71 CA$9.41

-11.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.83 CA$3.96

$2.25 CA$3.15

25.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 CA$6.06

$2.75 CA$3.85

57.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.90

$3.23 CA$4.53

8.36%

Eggs

$5.23 CA$7.33

$3.45 CA$4.83

51.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 CA$15.88

$14.40 CA$20.19

-21.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.37 CA$21.55

$12.89 CA$18.07

19.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.72 CA$20.64

$15.86 CA$22.24

-7.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.07

$4.30 CA$6.02

0.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 CA$1.97

$1.34 CA$1.88

4.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.84

$3.85 CA$5.40

8.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.06

$4.25 CA$5.97

1.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.55 CA$3.57

-5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.63

$2.62 CA$3.68

-1.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.69

$2.80 CA$3.92

-6.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.41

$1.95 CA$2.73

-11.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.81 CA$19.36

$14.97 CA$20.99

-7.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.34 CA$17.30

$13.90 CA$19.49

-11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.96

$2.92 CA$4.10

-3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CA$4.40

$3.91 CA$5.48

-19.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.25

$2.74 CA$3.84

-15.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 CA$89.5

$87.8 CA$123

-27.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 CA$4.33

$3.60 CA$5.04

-14.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.30 CA$1.82

13.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.17 CA$36.69

$28.70 CA$40.24

-8.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$1.12 CA$1.57

3.57%

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

-2.88%

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

$21.0K CA$29.4K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

-3.55%

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

$145 CA$204

$213 CA$299

-31.75%

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

$43.44 CA$60.9

$40.96 CA$57.4

6.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 CA$87.2

$57.9 CA$81.2

7.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 CA$59.8

$54.2 CA$76.0

-21.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.4

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$16.30

$12.63 CA$17.71

-8.00%

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

$727 CA$1,020

$874 CA$1,226

-16.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.5K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-25.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 CA$92.5

$58.6 CA$82.2

12.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 CA$55.0

$47.01 CA$65.9

-16.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 CA$99.8

$85.1 CA$119

-16.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$149

$108 CA$151

-0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 CA$1,815

$1,380 CA$1,935

-6.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 CA$970

$1,159 CA$1,625

-40.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,046 CA$2,869

$2,324 CA$3,259

-11.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 CA$2,539

$1,905 CA$2,670

-4.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,547 CA$6,375

$3,786 CA$5,308

20.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,122 CA$5,779

$3,511 CA$4,922

17.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,840 CA$3,982

$2,940 CA$4,121

-3.38%

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 Dawson City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,295 in Dawson City and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 4% 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: $107 in Dawson City vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 vs $396 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

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

Dawson City is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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: $1,295 in Dawson City versus $1,380 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 $107 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,989 per month in Dawson City versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,989 in Dawson City versus $2,462 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 24% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.