Cost of Living Comparison Between Yellowknife and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Yellowknife and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,960 in Yellowknife versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,236 in Yellowknife versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,511 in Yellowknife versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Yellowknife is roughly 17% more expensive than Calgary, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yellowknife 121% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 CA$23.22

$18.59 CA$25.74

-9.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.9 CA$120

$70.0 CA$97.0

24.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 CA$10.58

$10.96 CA$15.17

-30.29%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.30

$3.73 CA$5.17

2.68%

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

$2.63 CA$3.64

$1.99 CA$2.75

32.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$1.72 CA$2.39

22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 CA$8.42

$5.01 CA$6.94

21.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 CA$10.00

$6.50 CA$9.01

11.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$2.22 CA$3.08

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.71

$2.67 CA$3.69

0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.59

$3.26 CA$4.52

46.01%

Eggs

$3.36 CA$4.65

$3.35 CA$4.64

0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 CA$10.11

$14.50 CA$20.07

-49.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.83 CA$23.30

$12.95 CA$17.93

29.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.36 CA$22.66

$16.15 CA$22.36

1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 CA$6.99

$4.32 CA$5.98

16.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.35 CA$1.88

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.56 CA$7.70

$3.83 CA$5.30

45.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.71 CA$10.68

$4.18 CA$5.79

84.45%

Potato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.58

$2.65 CA$3.67

79.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.19

$2.74 CA$3.79

36.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$2.76 CA$3.82

31.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.95 CA$2.70

-41.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.61 CA$24.38

$14.98 CA$20.74

17.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$19.82

$14.67 CA$20.31

-2.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.40 CA$6.09

$2.84 CA$3.94

54.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$8.97

$4.02 CA$5.56

61.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 CA$3.11

$2.80 CA$3.88

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 CA$77.9

$86.2 CA$119

-34.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 CA$4.46

$3.60 CA$4.99

-10.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.32 CA$1.82

5.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.28 CA$35.00

$29.01 CA$40.17

-12.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.12 CA$1.55

8.93%

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

$25.2K CA$34.8K

$24.9K CA$34.4K

1.24%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$22.0K CA$30.4K

-5.65%

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

$395 CA$547

$217 CA$301

81.78%

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

$60.3 CA$83.5

$41.55 CA$57.5

45.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 CA$152

$58.1 CA$80.4

88.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 CA$103

$54.7 CA$75.8

36.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.1

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 CA$14.36

$12.77 CA$17.68

-18.79%

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

$629 CA$871

$874 CA$1,210

-28.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.4K

$15.9K CA$22.1K

-25.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 CA$92.1

$58.8 CA$81.5

13.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.52 CA$52.0

$46.47 CA$64.4

-19.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 CA$145

$87.2 CA$121

20.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$109 CA$151

9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 CA$2,080

$1,414 CA$1,957

6.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 CA$1,975

$1,172 CA$1,623

21.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 CA$3,401

$2,319 CA$3,211

5.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 CA$3,000

$1,886 CA$2,612

14.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 CA$4,373

$3,892 CA$5,389

-18.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,906 CA$4,024

$3,503 CA$4,851

-17.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,098 CA$5,674

$3,149 CA$4,360

30.13%

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 Yellowknife: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,503 in Yellowknife and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yellowknife pays 30% 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: $87.0 in Yellowknife vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 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

Yellowknife vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calgary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Yellowknife pays 30% 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: $1,503 in Yellowknife versus $1,414 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 $70.0 versus $87.0 in Yellowknife. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,960 per month in Yellowknife versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Calgary 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 Calgary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.