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Calgary vs Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles
At a glance
- Where Los Angeles is clearly cheaper: Transit (40%โ)
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (44%โ), Cocktail & wine (35%โ), Entry ticket (34%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Calgary is easier to travel (1.4 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Calgary 1 vs Los Angeles 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Calgary | Los Angeles | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | $ 18$18 | similar |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | $ 11$11 | Calgary โ20% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | $ 48$48 | Calgary โ16% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | $ 5.5$5.5 | Calgary โ20% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | $ 9$9 | Calgary โ26% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 15$11 | $ 17$17 | Calgary โ35% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | $ 2$2 | Calgary โ8% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | $ 3$3 | Calgary โ26% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | $ 18$18 | Calgary โ31% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | $ 10$10 | Calgary โ26% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | $ 1.75$1.75 | Los Angeles โ40% |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | $ 35$35 | Calgary โ16% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | $ 200$200 | Calgary โ34% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | $ 2,100$2,100 | Calgary โ44% |
| Laundry | C$ 5.1$3.75 | $ 4$4 | Calgary โ6% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | $ 26$26 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 33$24.3 | $ 30$30 | Calgary โ19% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 75$75 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 75$75 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 25$18.4 | $ 28$28 | Calgary โ34% |
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 Los Angeles?
Calgary is 29% cheaper than Los Angeles. Daily budget $274 vs $368; a month $4,857 vs $7,222.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or Los Angeles?
Calgary is easier: Calgary 1.4/5 vs Los Angeles 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and Los Angeles?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and Los Angeles about $7,222 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.