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Calgary vs Denver 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 Denver
At a glance
- Where Denver is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (18%โ)
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Street food (32%โ), Cocktail & wine (31%โ), Studio rent (month) (31%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Calgary is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Calgary 1 vs Denver 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Calgary | Denver | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | $ 20$20 | Calgary โ8% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | $ 13$13 | Calgary โ32% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | $ 45$45 | Calgary โ10% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | $ 6$6 | Calgary โ26% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | $ 7.5$7.5 | Calgary โ12% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 15$11 | $ 16$16 | Calgary โ31% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | $ 2.2$2.2 | Calgary โ16% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | $ 2.9$2.9 | Calgary โ24% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | $ 15$15 | Calgary โ17% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | $ 10$10 | Calgary โ26% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | $ 2.75$2.75 | Denver โ6% |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | $ 25$25 | Denver โ15% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | $ 180$180 | Calgary โ26% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | $ 1,700$1,700 | Calgary โ31% |
| Laundry | C$ 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 | $ 30$30 | Calgary โ19% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 100$100 | Calgary โ26% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 60$60 | Denver โ18% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 25$18.4 | $ 25$25 | Calgary โ26% |
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 Denver?
Calgary is 22% cheaper than Denver. Daily budget $274 vs $341; a month $4,857 vs $6,344.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or Denver?
Calgary is easier: Calgary 1.4/5 vs Denver 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and Denver?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and Denver about $6,344 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.