Popular cities
Calgary vs Chicago cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐จ๐ฆ Calgary
๐บ๐ธ Chicago
At a glance
- Where Chicago is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (18%โ)
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (48%โ), Entry ticket (44%โ), Studio rent (month) (40%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Calgary | Chicago | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | $ 17$17 | Chicago โ8% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | $ 8$8 | Chicago โ9% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | $ 42$42 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | $ 5.5$5.5 | Calgary โ20% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | $ 7.5$7.5 | Calgary โ12% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 15$11 | $ 15$15 | Calgary โ26% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | $ 1.8$1.8 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | $ 2.7$2.7 | Calgary โ18% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | $ 17$17 | Calgary โ26% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | $ 10$10 | Calgary โ26% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | $ 2.75$2.75 | Chicago โ6% |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | $ 57$57 | Calgary โ48% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | $ 180$180 | Calgary โ26% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | $ 1,950$1,950 | Calgary โ40% |
| Laundry | C$ 5.1$3.75 | $ 4$4 | Calgary โ6% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | $ 30$30 | Calgary โ14% |
| Haircutcut | C$ 33$24.3 | $ 35$35 | Calgary โ31% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 85$85 | Calgary โ13% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 60$60 | Chicago โ18% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 25$18.4 | $ 33$33 | Calgary โ44% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Calgary or Chicago?
Calgary is 23% cheaper than Chicago. Daily budget $274 vs $334; a month $4,857 vs $6,737.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or Chicago?
About the same: Calgary 1.4/5, Chicago 1.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and Chicago?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and Chicago about $6,737 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.