Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairbanks, AK and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Calgary: $2,232 a month against $2,975 in Fairbanks, AK, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Fairbanks, AK
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Fairbanks, AK Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Fairbanks, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,975

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,232

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fairbanks, AK 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 Fairbanks, AK and in Calgary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,975 in Fairbanks, AK versus $2,232 in Calgary.

Fairbanks, AK $2,975
Calgary $2,232

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,357 in Fairbanks, AK versus $3,363 in Calgary.

Fairbanks, AK $4,357
Calgary $3,363

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,739 in Fairbanks, AK versus $4,493 in Calgary.

Fairbanks, AK $5,739
Calgary $4,493

Living in Fairbanks, AK is roughly 33% more expensive than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairbanks, AK 122% above, Calgary 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.15 $25.15

$17.22 CA$24.54

46.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$71.2 CA$101

42.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 $15.25

$10.56 CA$15.06

44.41%

Cappuccino

$6.12 $6.12

$3.77 CA$5.38

62.33%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.91 CA$2.73

43.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.84 CA$2.63

5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 $6.79

$4.86 CA$6.93

39.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$5.55 CA$7.91

77.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.88 CA$2.68

-39.89%

White Bread (500g)

$5.37 $5.37

$2.73 CA$3.89

96.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$5.34 CA$7.61

-12.36%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$3.77 CA$5.37

12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.64 $21.64

$11.29 CA$16.09

91.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 $9.08

$11.46 CA$16.34

-20.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.45 $20.45

$18.26 CA$26.03

11.99%

Apples (1kg)

$7.64 $7.64

$4.64 CA$6.62

64.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.44 CA$2.05

45.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$4.22 CA$6.02

40.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$3.86 CA$5.50

60.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.62 CA$3.74

41.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.66 CA$3.79

36.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.59 CA$3.69

6.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.53 CA$2.19

27.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 $12.17

$14.26 CA$20.32

-14.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.01 $12.01

$15.27 CA$21.76

-21.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.41 CA$3.44

-27.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.41

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.88 CA$4.11

-46.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.97 $39.97

$88.7 CA$126

-54.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.23 CA$4.61

11.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.38 CA$1.97

54.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.48 $45.48

$26.49 CA$37.75

71.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.18 CA$1.68

8.47%

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

$28.3K CA$40.3K

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

$20.7K CA$29.5K

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

$209 $209

$159 CA$227

31.46%

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

$63.2 $63.2

$37.61 CA$53.6

67.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$142 $142

$49.68 CA$70.8

186.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 $98.7

$53.3 CA$75.9

85.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 CA$26.10

Cinema Ticket

$18.05 $18.05

$14.08 CA$20.06

28.20%

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

$1,826 $1,826

$809 CA$1,154

125.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 $59.1

$58.8 CA$83.8

0.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 $40.69

$38.84 CA$55.4

4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$91.4 CA$130

29.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$109 CA$155

9.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 $1,596

$1,237 CA$1,764

29.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$996 CA$1,420

38.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,605 $2,605

$1,908 CA$2,720

36.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 $2,197

$1,671 CA$2,382

31.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,984 $1,984

$3,530 CA$5,032

-43.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,029 $2,029

$3,336 CA$4,755

-39.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,943 $3,943

$3,130 CA$4,461

25.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

4.51

48.78%

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

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: October 5, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fairbanks, AK

$1.4K 46%

Calgary

$996 44.8% 27.8% $383

Groceries & Markets

Fairbanks, AK

$463 * 15.5%

Calgary

$387 17.4% 16.4% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairbanks, AK

$415 13.8%

Calgary

$247 11.1% 40.6% $168

Eating Out

Fairbanks, AK

$393 13.1%

Calgary

$265 11.9% 32.5% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Fairbanks, AK

$152 5.1%

Calgary

$134 6% 11.7% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Fairbanks, AK

$135 4.5%

Calgary

$81 3.7% 39.6% $53

Getting Around

Fairbanks, AK

$60 2%

Calgary

$110 5% 82.7% $50

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,596 in Fairbanks, AK and $1,237 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairbanks, AK pays 26% 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 Fairbanks, AK vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $463 vs $387 per month, with Calgary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairbanks, AK

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

04:18 4:18 AM

06:18 6:18 AM

2 h ahead of Fairbanks, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,515

1,267,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Fairbanks, AK Calgary 2,460 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

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Fairbanks, AK
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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

Fairbanks, AK vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Fairbanks, AK, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,596 in Fairbanks, AK versus $1,237 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $2,975 per month in Fairbanks, AK versus $2,232 in Calgary – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,232 in Calgary versus $2,975 in Fairbanks, AK, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Fairbanks, AK. The gap between the two cities makes Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Fairbanks, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.