Yellowknife households spent an average of $141,035 in 2023, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.
It ranks the NWT capital as the second highest in expenditures among jurisdictions that Statistics Canada tracks, only a few thousand dollars short of Iqaluit, which rang in at $144,498.
About a quarter of residential spending in Yellowknife went towards shelter, the agency notes, making it the third highest in the country, with British Columbia and Ontario having slightly higher percentages.
"Yellowknife households tend to spend more than the Canadian average for many expenditure categories, including shelter and food," Statistics Canada stated.
Average shelter costs in Yellowknife remained steady from 2015 to 2021, but jumped by more than $3,000 in 2023, reaching nearly $34,000. Spending on food — including restaurant meals — also increased significantly, climbing to almost $16,000 in 2023 from $13,223 in 2021.
Average household spending on transportation in Yellowknife rose between 2021 and 2023, reversing a drop seen in 2021. The agency says these increases were partly balanced by lower spending in areas such as health and personal care, household furnishings and equipment, income taxes, and gifts and charitable donations.
Spending on tobacco, alcohol and cannabis has been declining in Yellowknife households since 2019. In 2023, annual spending in that category was $2,149. In 2019, it was $3,563.
There's also less money going to clothing and accessories, the bureau reports. In 2023 the spending was $3,256. In 2019, the figure was $4,393. And in 2015, it was $5,171.
Alberta is the province closest to matching Yellowknife, with the average household there spending about $120,000 in 2023. The national average was $108,225, also according to Statistics Canada.
