Cost of Living Comparison Between Inuvik and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Inuvik and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,459 in Inuvik versus $2,517 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,630 in Inuvik versus $3,646 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,802 in Inuvik versus $4,776 in Calgary.

Living in Inuvik costs roughly 2% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Inuvik 83% above, Calgary 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.81 CA$34.64

$18.37 CA$25.65

35.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 CA$126

$69.7 CA$97.4

29.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$15.24

$10.88 CA$15.19

0.28%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.34

$3.69 CA$5.16

3.52%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.03 CA$2.84

-1.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.74 CA$2.43

-2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 CA$7.53

$5.30 CA$7.40

1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 CA$8.06

$6.74 CA$9.42

-14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$2.23 CA$3.12

-5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 CA$5.07

$2.68 CA$3.75

35.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 CA$7.82

$3.35 CA$4.68

67.16%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.81

$3.33 CA$4.65

3.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.52 CA$21.68

$14.41 CA$20.12

7.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 CA$17.78

$12.50 CA$17.46

1.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 CA$26.60

$16.33 CA$22.81

16.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.64

$4.28 CA$5.98

-5.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.90

$1.35 CA$1.89

0.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.01

$3.74 CA$5.22

-4.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.69 CA$7.95

$4.17 CA$5.83

36.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.33

$2.56 CA$3.58

-6.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.01

$2.68 CA$3.74

7.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.49 CA$4.87

$2.66 CA$3.71

31.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.49

$1.88 CA$2.62

-4.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.72 CA$19.16

$14.66 CA$20.47

-6.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 CA$17.42

$14.23 CA$19.87

-12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.96

$2.95 CA$4.12

-3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CA$4.44

$3.89 CA$5.44

-18.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$2.71 CA$3.79

-11.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 CA$87.4

$87.7 CA$122

-28.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 CA$6.03

$3.46 CA$4.83

24.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$1.30 CA$1.81

11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.21 CA$36.60

$28.30 CA$39.52

-7.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 CA$2.33

$1.09 CA$1.52

53.21%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$25.0K CA$34.9K

-1.85%

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

$21.0K CA$29.3K

$22.2K CA$31.0K

-5.72%

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

$144 CA$201

$211 CA$295

-31.65%

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

$43.69 CA$61.0

$40.40 CA$56.4

8.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 CA$87.2

$58.5 CA$81.7

6.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.46 CA$57.9

$53.8 CA$75.1

-22.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.15 CA$30.93

$53.8 CA$75.2

-58.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 CA$16.24

$12.64 CA$17.66

-7.99%

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

$744 CA$1,040

$865 CA$1,208

-13.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.5K

$16.1K CA$22.4K

-26.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 CA$74.5

$58.1 CA$81.1

-8.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.96 CA$54.4

$47.18 CA$65.9

-17.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 CA$122

$85.4 CA$119

2.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 CA$1,832

$1,416 CA$1,977

-7.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 CA$1,643

$1,153 CA$1,611

2.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 CA$2,871

$2,370 CA$3,309

-13.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 CA$2,539

$1,864 CA$2,603

-2.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,375 CA$6,110

$3,834 CA$5,354

14.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,770 CA$5,265

$3,443 CA$4,808

9.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,765 CA$5,258

$3,105 CA$4,337

21.24%

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 Inuvik: June 9, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,312 in Inuvik and $1,416 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Inuvik pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $90.0 in Inuvik vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $426 vs $393 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

Inuvik vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Inuvik pays 21% more on average, 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: $1,312 in Inuvik 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 Inuvik – a meal for two runs $90.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,459 per month in Inuvik versus $2,517 in Calgary – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Inuvik is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Inuvik 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.