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Calgary vs Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia
At a glance
- Where Philadelphia is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (25%โ)
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (39%โ), Street food (26%โ), Haircut (26%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 | Philadelphia | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | $ 22$22 | Calgary โ16% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | $ 12$12 | Calgary โ26% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | $ 42$42 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | $ 5.1$5.1 | Calgary โ13% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | $ 6.5$6.5 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 15$11 | $ 14$14 | Calgary โ21% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | $ 2$2 | Calgary โ8% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | $ 2.8$2.8 | Calgary โ21% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | $ 15$15 | Calgary โ17% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | $ 9$9 | Calgary โ18% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | $ 2.9$2.9 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | $ 35$35 | Calgary โ16% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | $ 175$175 | Calgary โ24% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | $ 1,550$1,550 | Calgary โ24% |
| Laundry | C$ 5.1$3.75 | $ 4$4 | Calgary โ6% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | $ 25$25 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 33$24.3 | $ 33$33 | Calgary โ26% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 90$90 | Calgary โ18% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 55$55 | Philadelphia โ25% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 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 Philadelphia?
Calgary is 19% cheaper than Philadelphia. Daily budget $274 vs $336; a month $4,857 vs $6,015.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or Philadelphia?
About the same: Calgary 1.4/5, Philadelphia 1.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and Philadelphia?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and Philadelphia about $6,015 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.