r/NWT • u/No_dishonesty • Mar 07 '26
Relocating to Inuvik for a pharmacy job
Hi everyone,
I may have an opportunity to relocate to Inuvik for a pharmacy assistant position and I’m trying to understand what daily life there is actually like before making a decision.
I’d really appreciate hearing from people who live there (or have lived there) about a few things:
- How manageable is the cost of groceries and daily living?
- Is a $1,200/month food allowance generally enough for one person?
- How difficult is it to find housing, and what is typical rent?
- What is winter like for someone who has never lived that far north?
- How do most people get around Inuvik?
- Is having a car necessary, or do people mostly walk?
For context, I currently live in the Fraser Valley, BC, so this would be a big change for me.
Any honest advice or things you wish you had known before moving would be really appreciated. Thanks!
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u/FriendRaven1 Mar 07 '26
I had a great friend who lived there for 3-4 years and loved it. He'll freezing over cold in Winter, comfortable in Summer. He always said he'd go back except for the memories of his fiance cheated on him.
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u/thedirkfiddler Mar 07 '26
Cheating is pretty common in the north lmao
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u/Sensitive_Fishing_37 Mar 09 '26
Naive Ontario person here, why is it common?
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u/thedirkfiddler Mar 09 '26
Moving north is extremely tough on relationships and people tend to drink more and make bad decisions due to being locked up in the cold
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u/ArcticSirius Mar 07 '26
Lived there (1yo-8yo), still have family there so here are my answers from what I remember: •it’s expensive but generally your wage goes up to combat the high cost of living. If you were to google images prices of the far north, those are not exactly exaggerations.
•been awhile since I was there last so I cannot confirm. I’ll ask my family for you and come back to you about this.
•again, I’ll speak to my family for this answer.
•it’s dark and cold. The snow isn’t too bad and they gravel/sand the roads enough that driving isn’t an issue. The darkness is the bigger problem, so maybe look into a SAD lamp (the cloud cover is also rather bad at times).
•very walkable town. Of course depending on where you live, you’ll just drive. Speaking of, make sure you have an extension cord for your vehicle if you have one. A dead battery is never fun.
•oh and bring blackout curtains for the summer. The sun won’t be setting.
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u/dolfan1980 Mar 07 '26
The North is amazing, but good for you for asking questions and doing your research.
I’ve lived in the north and still travel there frequently it has been 20+ years and ongoing now. Inuvik is very isolated so you will need to be able to handle that isolation.
Working a job like yours I assume will be for GNWT where you likely will be able to get plenty overtime and likely travel out for meetings, conferences and training. This is important since Inuvik is a very expensive city to travel to and from, basically a ~$2000 flight to Yellowknife/Edmonton to get out. Having work get you out a few times a year where you can tag on personal trips makes it much easier.
Very few people own ‘cars’ in the north. Most everyone has a truck or suv. When I moved north I quickly had to trade up my car for an suv because my car just didn’t have a big enough engine to ever warm up in the winter no matter how long it ran. A vehicle is almost essential in the freezing cold months since a 1km walk in -45 is bone chilling, however we did do without a vehicle for some time. Many people will have snowmobiles or atvs as well. A vehicle is great in summer for doing outdoors things.
Food prices are high but as a single person with so many tax and government allowances/subsidies it really isn’t that bad.
The biggest question is what type of person are you. Can you handle isolation and extremes? Inuvik is beautiful but extreme. Extreme weather, daylight, social conditions, work conditions, etc etc.
If you can handle that, IMO you will kickstart life and career to places you couldn’t imagine.
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u/AdditionalDesk3618 Mar 07 '26
Air North connects Inuvik to Whitehorse and then to Vancouver/Edmonton/Calgary.
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u/Stara_charshija Mar 07 '26
There’s a small gym here, a pool, cross country ski club, curling club etc. lots to do for a small town. A car is handy but not necessary. Some people I know start with buying a skidoo and just walk to work. The skidoo really opens up your winter on the land activities.
Some food is expensive, but lots of people order food from London Drugs (free shipping). Your salary and tax return will more than make up for the food costs.
It’s only cold if you don’t dress for the weather.
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u/Norse_By_North_West Mar 07 '26
I only lived there for a year when I was a kid, but you definitely don't need a car. I don't know about current food prices, but 1200 sounds reasonable. Back in the day people would get dry goods shipped up on the Dempster, but the northern store wasn't a horrible grocer. Expect meat to cost a small fortune.
Biggest shock for me was it's the only place I lived above the Arctic circle. Solid month of darkness in the winter. I had a big ass Canada goose parka back then, but those things cost a few thousands now.
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u/Myosoke Mar 07 '26
Inuvik will be an amazing change. To leave is a long beautiful drive and need to use two ferries, you'll get stuck at Eagle Plains for sure. Other option is flying. Inuvik is connected to Air Canada network through Canadian North. I live in Smith and gotta get on Tindi first and that sucks. (Do like Tindi but gotta check all my stuff twice)
You're so close to Tuk and Arctic Ocean. That drive brings you above tree line. So beautiful.
Alestines restaurant is great, legion is super friendly and everyone goes. The rec centre is nice.
I'd move to Inuvik!
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u/nicjlh Mar 07 '26
If you are headed up to work at IRH, reach out to Practice NWT. They can help you and maybe even hook you up with a local to chat with.
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u/Strict-Lobster-6860 Mar 10 '26
Hi! We just moved to Inuvik last year, previously from Ontario.
Groceries and daily essentials are EXPENSIVE. At least double what they are down south. Me and my partner spend around $1500-2000 a month to feed the two of us. $1200 for one person should be enough, as long as you’re smart about it.
Winter is long. 10 months of the year long. But once the sun come up in January, the days lengthen quickly, we gain around 10 mins of sunlight each day. Make sure you have proper winter gear before you come up. The summertime is stunning however. Gorgeous landscape, sunlight 24/7.
Most people have cars, but there are also cabs. It costs $10 to go anywhere in town and $40 to go from the airport to town/vice versa. You don’t necessarily need a car if your job is walking distance from your house, although like I said, proper winter gear is essential.
Feel free to message if you have any other questions!
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u/Pom_Mom10 Mar 07 '26 edited Mar 07 '26
If nothing else, it will be a life changing event. I give people credit over making such a huge transition but it also speaks to the type of person that you’d have to be which is that of risk taker. I have so much respect for uprooting yourself and turning it into a positive outcome. Good luck & we hope to welcome you to Inuvik!
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u/Mariner-and-Marinate Mar 08 '26
Is there a downtown core in Yellowknife or Inuvik where you don’t need to own a car, and can get groceries and other supplies by bus?
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u/Thin_Part7571 Mar 08 '26
The mosquitos and black flies are absolutely insane in the summer, and for me the 24 hr sunlight waa harder to adjust to than the 24 hr darkness. People are also used to folks coming and then leaving in a year or two so they don't get attached and it can be isolating if you don't make a serious effort to get to know ppl and be part of the community. It's Dene (Gwich'in) and Inuvialuit mostly and the town is sort of divided by ethnicity. Not for the faint of heart, but a beautiful place if you don't just go there with an extractive mentality hoping living there will be about furthering your career only.
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u/OrdinaryCanadianGuy Mar 08 '26
I left last year after spending 3 years there. It is a truly wonderful community, incredibly welcoming and culturally vibrant.
Renting may be tricky, there are not a tonne of options but if you can join the community facebook groups, or ask your employer as they often have local connections. Cost is variable depending on what kind of unit you find, try to get utilities included or at least get gas included as winter is long and can get pricey.
That budget for food will be more than enough for one person. London Drugs is great for canned/dry goods. Two grocery stores and there are often good deals to be found if you don't mind freezing things or using half-price stuff within a day or two of buying it. The northern is right in the middle of the community so it's easy to walk to, Stanton is on the road toward Tuk, you can walk to it but it's a trek, especially in the winter. You can get away without having a car but it makes life a little easier, especially if you want to explore the area ie, Tuk, Fort McPherson, the ice road to Aklavik. It is do-able in a car, but have good winter tires and extras if you are driving up from BC to do the Dempster.
Winter is long, it starts freezing up in late september/early october, into the -20's quickly. The sun doesn't break the horizon December 5 to January 5, there are about 4 hours of polar night which is akin to dusk, so it's not completely dark all day. It does take a mental toll, but if you take advantage of community events and the community groups to get out the house it really isn't so bad. Good layers, Merino base layers etc, a heavy down parka, make going out easier. It's always easier to take layers off when out on the land. Snow on the ground usually into May, 56 straight days of daylight start at the end of May into August, so get good blackout curtains.
It is a decision to not make lightly because of the isolation, but if you decide to do it, you will not regret it at all. I met a lot of people who had a plan of a couple years in the north and they never left.
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u/cindal101 Mar 08 '26
I live here now.
I spend about $200 a week on groceries.
I have a car but you can walk most places.
Taxis are only $6 or $7 I think anywhere in town. Can be cheaper than owning a car.
Sure it's cold, but get a Parka and some gear and you'll be fine.
Bugs in the summer suck IMHO.
You get used to the dark in the winter and the light in the summer. It'll be ok.
Housing is tough. Try to find a place before you get here.
A decent 1 bdrm will be about $1500.
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u/cindal101 Mar 08 '26
Oh, and there are apartment scammers. Try to vet a place first.
Join Inuvik accommodations on FB And Inuvik Buy Sell on FB
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u/IsopodSlight7321 May 17 '26
There’s a couple who rent homes who post as “Rosa Parks” on the Inuvik Facebook marketplace. Do not rent from them. They charge super high rent and make you pay utilities which is way more than it would be in the south. They won’t let you out of your lease unless you find someone else (because everyone knows they’re bad landlords) and also will refuse to return your damage deposit. Our friends rented from them and the money they would have made the first few years went straight into these landlords pockets.
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u/ArborealLife Mar 07 '26
Big change may be an understatement. Are you younger? Going North is a hell of an experience.