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: $3,019 in Yellowknife versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,249 in Yellowknife versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,479 in Yellowknife versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Yellowknife is roughly 28% more expensive than in Calgary, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yellowknife 120% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 CA$27.08

$17.94 CA$24.93

8.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.1 CA$120

$70.5 CA$98.0

22.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 CA$12.33

$10.69 CA$14.85

-16.93%

Cappuccino

$4.37 CA$6.07

$3.79 CA$5.26

15.30%

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

$2.38 CA$3.31

$2.00 CA$2.78

19.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 CA$2.90

$1.98 CA$2.74

5.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.30

$5.19 CA$7.21

28.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 CA$10.07

$5.86 CA$8.14

23.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.93 CA$4.07

$1.95 CA$2.72

50.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.74

$2.82 CA$3.92

-4.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 CA$6.51

$5.61 CA$7.80

-16.40%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.48

$3.75 CA$5.21

-14.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 CA$10.39

$11.50 CA$15.98

-35.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.46 CA$22.87

$11.46 CA$15.93

43.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 CA$22.23

$18.95 CA$26.34

-15.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 CA$6.90

$4.83 CA$6.72

2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 CA$2.06

$1.37 CA$1.90

8.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 CA$7.45

$4.25 CA$5.90

26.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.34 CA$10.19

$4.15 CA$5.77

76.87%

Potato (1kg)

$4.62 CA$6.42

$2.70 CA$3.76

71.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.89

$2.83 CA$3.93

24.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.58 CA$4.97

$2.64 CA$3.66

35.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.51 CA$2.10

-26.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.59 CA$24.45

$14.60 CA$20.29

20.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.70 CA$20.43

$15.76 CA$21.90

-6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.26 CA$5.92

$2.60 CA$3.61

63.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CA$8.81

$3.08 CA$4.28

105.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 CA$3.08

$2.93 CA$4.07

-24.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 CA$75.3

$89.3 CA$124

-39.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.40

$3.32 CA$4.61

-4.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.43 CA$1.99

-1.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.50

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.77

$1.26 CA$1.75

0.79%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$28.9K CA$40.2K

-14.09%

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

$19.2K CA$26.7K

$21.3K CA$29.7K

-9.85%

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

$364 CA$506

$183 CA$254

99.00%

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

$58.5 CA$81.3

$38.31 CA$53.2

52.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.5 CA$138

$51.7 CA$71.8

92.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 CA$103

$54.9 CA$76.2

35.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.93

Cinema Ticket

$10.20 CA$14.17

$14.26 CA$19.81

-28.47%

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

$599 CA$833

$828 CA$1,151

-27.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 CA$90.5

$59.6 CA$82.8

9.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 CA$50.3

$39.47 CA$54.9

-8.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$145

$94.3 CA$131

10.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$113 CA$157

4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 CA$2,027

$1,265 CA$1,758

15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 CA$1,972

$1,051 CA$1,461

34.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CA$3,006

$1,934 CA$2,688

11.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,117 CA$2,942

$1,700 CA$2,362

24.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,098 CA$4,305

$3,680 CA$5,114

-15.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,840 CA$3,946

$3,333 CA$4,632

-14.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,117 CA$5,721

$3,276 CA$4,553

25.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

4.4

20.91%

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

Last update for Yellowknife: August 30, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,459 in Yellowknife and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yellowknife pays 26% 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: $86.0 in Yellowknife vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $444 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, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 26% 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: $1,459 in Yellowknife 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 $86.0 in Yellowknife. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,019 per month in Yellowknife versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,353 in Calgary versus $3,019 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 28% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.