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: $2,990 in Yellowknife versus $2,462 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,276 in Yellowknife versus $3,628 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,563 in Yellowknife versus $4,795 in Calgary.

Living in Yellowknife is roughly 21% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yellowknife 124% above, Calgary 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 CA$23.12

$18.33 CA$25.70

-10.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.7 CA$126

$69.9 CA$98.0

28.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 CA$10.57

$10.95 CA$15.35

-31.14%

Cappuccino

$3.86 CA$5.41

$3.74 CA$5.24

3.21%

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

$2.64 CA$3.71

$2.04 CA$2.86

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.10

$1.67 CA$2.34

32.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 CA$8.43

$5.20 CA$7.29

15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 CA$10.45

$6.71 CA$9.41

11.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 CA$3.48

$2.25 CA$3.15

10.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 CA$3.88

$2.75 CA$3.85

0.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 CA$6.76

$3.23 CA$4.53

49.23%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.59

$3.45 CA$4.83

-4.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 CA$10.24

$14.40 CA$20.19

-49.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.81 CA$23.57

$12.89 CA$18.07

30.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.50 CA$23.13

$15.86 CA$22.24

4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 CA$6.74

$4.30 CA$6.02

11.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$1.34 CA$1.88

18.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 CA$7.76

$3.85 CA$5.40

43.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.67 CA$10.76

$4.25 CA$5.97

80.47%

Potato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.67

$2.55 CA$3.57

86.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.15

$2.62 CA$3.68

40.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.45 CA$4.84

$2.80 CA$3.92

23.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.95 CA$2.73

-41.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.39 CA$24.38

$14.97 CA$20.99

16.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.00 CA$19.62

$13.90 CA$19.49

0.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 CA$6.03

$2.92 CA$4.10

47.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.41

$3.91 CA$5.48

71.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 CA$3.03

$2.74 CA$3.84

-21.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.6 CA$76.5

$87.8 CA$123

-37.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.56

$3.60 CA$5.04

-9.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.30 CA$1.82

3.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.10 CA$36.59

$28.70 CA$40.24

-9.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$1.12 CA$1.57

8.93%

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

$24.5K CA$34.4K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

-3.70%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$21.7K CA$30.5K

-7.37%

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

$390 CA$547

$213 CA$299

83.32%

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

$60.5 CA$84.8

$40.96 CA$57.4

47.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$111 CA$156

$57.9 CA$81.2

92.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 CA$105

$54.2 CA$76.0

37.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.4

Cinema Ticket

$10.23 CA$14.34

$12.63 CA$17.71

-19.00%

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

$609 CA$854

$874 CA$1,226

-30.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.8K

$15.9K CA$22.3K

-24.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 CA$91.7

$58.6 CA$82.2

11.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.64 CA$51.4

$47.01 CA$65.9

-22.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$150

$85.1 CA$119

25.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$167

$108 CA$151

10.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 CA$2,095

$1,380 CA$1,935

8.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 CA$2,019

$1,159 CA$1,625

24.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,449 CA$3,434

$2,324 CA$3,259

5.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,192 CA$3,073

$1,905 CA$2,670

15.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,003 CA$4,210

$3,786 CA$5,308

-20.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,799 CA$3,924

$3,511 CA$4,922

-20.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,937 CA$5,519

$2,940 CA$4,121

33.92%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,494 in Yellowknife and $1,380 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yellowknife pays 34% 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: $90.0 in Yellowknife vs $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $396 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 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Yellowknife, 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: $1,494 in Yellowknife versus $1,380 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 $90.0 in Yellowknife. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,990 per month in Yellowknife versus $2,462 in Calgary – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,990 in Yellowknife, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Calgary but tight or insufficient in Yellowknife. 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 21% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.