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Calgary vs New York 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 New York
At a glance
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (64%โ), Scooter rental (57%โ), Hotel night (51%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 New York 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Calgary | New York | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | $ 20$20 | Calgary โ8% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | $ 10$10 | Calgary โ12% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | $ 55$55 | Calgary โ26% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | $ 6$6 | Calgary โ26% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | $ 9$9 | Calgary โ26% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 15$11 | $ 19$19 | Calgary โ42% |
| Bottled water | C$ 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 | $ 23$23 | Calgary โ46% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | $ 14$14 | Calgary โ47% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | $ 3$3 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | $ 68$68 | Calgary โ57% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | $ 270$270 | Calgary โ51% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | $ 3,300$3,300 | Calgary โ64% |
| Laundry | C$ 5.1$3.75 | $ 4.5$4.5 | Calgary โ17% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | $ 30$30 | Calgary โ14% |
| Haircutcut | C$ 33$24.3 | $ 42$42 | Calgary โ42% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 100$100 | Calgary โ26% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 80$80 | Calgary โ8% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 25$18.4 | $ 30$30 | Calgary โ39% |
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 New York?
Calgary is 48% cheaper than New York. Daily budget $274 vs $467; a month $4,857 vs $10,297.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or New York?
Calgary is easier: Calgary 1.4/5 vs New York 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and New York?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and New York about $10,297 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.