Cost of Living Comparison Between Whitehorse and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Whitehorse and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,809 in Whitehorse versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,190 in Whitehorse versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,572 in Whitehorse versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Whitehorse is roughly 19% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whitehorse 104% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.02 CA$49.84

$17.94 CA$24.82

100.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 CA$157

$70.5 CA$97.6

61.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 CA$15.76

$10.69 CA$14.79

6.55%

Cappuccino

$4.48 CA$6.20

$3.79 CA$5.24

18.21%

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

$2.45 CA$3.39

$2.00 CA$2.77

22.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.64

$1.98 CA$2.73

-3.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 CA$6.07

$5.19 CA$7.18

-15.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 CA$7.08

$5.86 CA$8.11

-12.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 CA$3.47

$1.95 CA$2.70

28.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.48

$2.82 CA$3.91

-10.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.23

$5.61 CA$7.77

-32.62%

Eggs

$3.86 CA$5.34

$3.75 CA$5.19

2.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 CA$13.93

$11.50 CA$15.91

-12.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.68 CA$21.69

$11.46 CA$15.86

36.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 CA$20.87

$18.95 CA$26.23

-20.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.31

$4.83 CA$6.69

-5.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.64

$1.37 CA$1.89

39.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.06

$4.25 CA$5.88

-14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.39

$4.15 CA$5.74

-6.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.70 CA$3.74

-2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CA$3.13

$2.83 CA$3.91

-19.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.22 CA$4.46

$2.64 CA$3.65

21.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CA$1.93

$1.51 CA$2.09

-7.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.25 CA$26.63

$14.60 CA$20.21

31.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 CA$24.55

$15.76 CA$21.80

12.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 CA$5.98

$2.60 CA$3.59

66.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.52

$3.08 CA$4.26

29.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.93 CA$4.05

-37.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.51 CA$60.2

$89.3 CA$124

-51.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 CA$4.88

$3.32 CA$4.59

6.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 CA$3.16

$1.43 CA$1.98

59.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.50 CA$36.67

$27.71 CA$38.34

-4.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.81

$1.26 CA$1.74

3.97%

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

$28.2K CA$39.1K

$28.9K CA$40.0K

-2.43%

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

$18.3K CA$25.4K

$21.3K CA$29.5K

-14.15%

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

$250 CA$345

$183 CA$253

36.48%

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

$47.62 CA$65.9

$38.31 CA$53.0

24.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.1 CA$137

$51.7 CA$71.5

91.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 CA$74.6

$54.9 CA$75.9

-1.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 CA$25.47

$18.66 CA$25.82

-1.34%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 CA$15.74

$14.26 CA$19.73

-20.27%

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

$614 CA$849

$828 CA$1,146

-25.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K CA$18.9K

$15.9K CA$22.0K

-14.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.7

$59.6 CA$82.4

-4.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.37 CA$51.7

$39.47 CA$54.6

-5.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$94.3 CA$131

-6.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$139

$113 CA$156

-10.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 CA$2,091

$1,265 CA$1,750

19.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 CA$1,875

$1,051 CA$1,454

28.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,290 CA$3,168

$1,934 CA$2,676

18.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,189 CA$3,029

$1,700 CA$2,352

28.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,793 CA$8,016

$3,680 CA$5,092

57.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,121 CA$4,318

$3,333 CA$4,613

-6.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,623 CA$5,012

$3,276 CA$4,533

10.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

4.4

12.73%

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

Last update for Whitehorse: August 30, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,512 in Whitehorse and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Whitehorse pays 11% 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: $114 in Whitehorse vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $397 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

Whitehorse vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Whitehorse, 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: $1,512 in Whitehorse 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 Calgary – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $114 in Whitehorse. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,809 per month in Whitehorse versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,809 in Whitehorse, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Whitehorse. 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 19% less than in Whitehorse. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.