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Calgary vs San Francisco 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 San Francisco
At a glance
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (64%โ), Entry ticket (47%โ), Street food (41%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Calgary is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: safety โ Calgary 2 vs San Francisco 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Calgary | San Francisco | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | $ 25$25 | Calgary โ26% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | $ 15$15 | Calgary โ41% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | $ 55$55 | Calgary โ26% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | $ 6.5$6.5 | Calgary โ32% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | $ 9$9 | Calgary โ26% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 15$11 | $ 17$17 | Calgary โ35% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | $ 2.5$2.5 | Calgary โ26% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | $ 3$3 | Calgary โ26% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | $ 16$16 | Calgary โ22% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | $ 11$11 | Calgary โ33% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | $ 2.85$2.85 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | $ 45$45 | Calgary โ35% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | $ 200$200 | Calgary โ34% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | $ 3,300$3,300 | Calgary โ64% |
| Laundry | C$ 5.1$3.75 | $ 5$5 | Calgary โ25% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | $ 25$25 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 33$24.3 | $ 38$38 | Calgary โ36% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 110$110 | Calgary โ33% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 70$70 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 25$18.4 | $ 35$35 | Calgary โ47% |
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 San Francisco?
Calgary is 44% cheaper than San Francisco. Daily budget $274 vs $391; a month $4,857 vs $10,400.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or San Francisco?
Calgary is easier: Calgary 1.4/5 vs San Francisco 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and San Francisco?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and San Francisco about $10,400 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.