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Calgary vs Ottawa cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐จ๐ฆ Calgary
๐จ๐ฆ Ottawa
At a glance
- Where Ottawa is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (40%โ), Local meal (20%โ), Restaurant dinner (18%โ)
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (20%โ), Studio rent (month) (18%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 | Ottawa | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | C$ 20$14.7 | Ottawa โ20% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | C$ 13$9.56 | Calgary โ8% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | C$ 45$33.1 | Ottawa โ18% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | C$ 5.5$4.04 | Ottawa โ8% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | C$ 8.5$6.25 | Ottawa โ6% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 15$11 | C$ 17$12.5 | Calgary โ12% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | C$ 2.5$1.84 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | C$ 3$2.21 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | C$ 16$11.8 | Ottawa โ6% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | C$ 10$7.35 | similar |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | C$ 4.1$3.01 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | C$ 50$36.8 | Calgary โ20% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | C$ 210$154 | Calgary โ14% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | C$ 1,960$1,441 | Calgary โ18% |
| Laundry | C$ 5.1$3.75 | C$ 5$3.68 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | C$ 35$25.7 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 33$24.3 | C$ 30$22.1 | Ottawa โ9% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | C$ 105$77.2 | Calgary โ5% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | C$ 60$44.1 | Ottawa โ40% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 25$18.4 | C$ 23$16.9 | Ottawa โ8% |
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 Ottawa?
Calgary and Ottawa cost about the same. Daily budget $274 vs $275; a month $4,857 vs $5,131.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or Ottawa?
About the same: Calgary 1.4/5, Ottawa 1.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and Ottawa?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and Ottawa about $5,131 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.