Cost of Living Comparison Between Hay River, NT and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Hay River, NT and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,307 in Hay River, NT versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Hay River, NT versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,323 in Hay River, NT versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Hay River, NT costs roughly 2% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hay River, NT 68% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.25

$17.94 CA$24.82

1.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 CA$92.3

$70.5 CA$97.6

-5.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.17

$10.69 CA$14.79

2.62%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.11

$3.79 CA$5.24

-2.64%

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

$1.84 CA$2.55

$2.00 CA$2.77

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.40

$1.98 CA$2.73

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.19

$5.19 CA$7.18

14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 CA$6.92

$5.86 CA$8.11

-14.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CA$2.85

$1.95 CA$2.70

5.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$2.82 CA$3.91

-7.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.15

$5.61 CA$7.77

-46.52%

Eggs

$3.92 CA$5.43

$3.75 CA$5.19

4.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 CA$15.96

$11.50 CA$15.91

0.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$15.88

$11.46 CA$15.86

0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 CA$20.38

$18.95 CA$26.23

-22.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.86

$4.83 CA$6.69

-12.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.37 CA$1.89

-8.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.45

$4.25 CA$5.88

-24.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.32

$4.15 CA$5.74

-7.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 CA$3.24

$2.70 CA$3.74

-13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$2.83 CA$3.91

-11.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.64 CA$3.65

-10.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.51 CA$2.09

-5.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.91 CA$17.87

$14.60 CA$20.21

-11.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.51 CA$17.31

$15.76 CA$21.80

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CA$3.67

$2.60 CA$3.59

1.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$3.08 CA$4.26

2.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.93 CA$4.05

-23.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 CA$83.1

$89.3 CA$124

-32.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 CA$4.64

$3.32 CA$4.59

1.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$1.43 CA$1.98

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.40 CA$32.37

$27.71 CA$38.34

-15.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$1.26 CA$1.74

-9.52%

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

$27.7K CA$38.4K

$28.9K CA$40.0K

-4.16%

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

$20.4K CA$28.2K

$21.3K CA$29.5K

-4.60%

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

$139 CA$193

$183 CA$253

-23.77%

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

$38.54 CA$53.3

$38.31 CA$53.0

0.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 CA$78.6

$51.7 CA$71.5

9.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.92 CA$56.6

$54.9 CA$75.9

-25.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.63 CA$23.01

$18.66 CA$25.82

-10.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 CA$17.88

$14.26 CA$19.73

-9.40%

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

$818 CA$1,132

$828 CA$1,146

-1.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K CA$16.9K

$15.9K CA$22.0K

-23.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CA$76.5

$59.6 CA$82.4

-7.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.25 CA$50.2

$39.47 CA$54.6

-8.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$119

$94.3 CA$131

-8.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 CA$137

$113 CA$156

-12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 CA$1,566

$1,265 CA$1,750

-10.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$982 CA$1,359

$1,051 CA$1,454

-6.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 CA$2,801

$1,934 CA$2,676

4.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 CA$2,405

$1,700 CA$2,352

2.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,703 CA$6,508

$3,680 CA$5,092

27.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,866 CA$5,349

$3,333 CA$4,613

15.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 CA$5,906

$3,276 CA$4,533

30.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.4

6.36%

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

Last update for Hay River, NT: August 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,132 in Hay River, NT and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hay River, NT pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $67.0 in Hay River, NT vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $397 per month, with Hay River, NT 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

Hay River, NT vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hay River, NT is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Hay River, NT, 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: $1,132 in Hay River, NT versus $1,265 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hay River, NT – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,307 per month in Hay River, NT versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,307 in Hay River, NT versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hay River, NT but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Hay River, NT 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 Hay River, NT gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.