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Calgary vs Toronto 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 Toronto
At a glance
- Where Toronto is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (50%โ), Transit (16%โ)
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Hotel night (31%โ), Studio rent (month) (26%โ), Entry ticket (17%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 | Toronto | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | C$ 25$18.4 | similar |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | C$ 11$8.09 | Toronto โ8% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | C$ 57$41.9 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | C$ 5.9$4.34 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | C$ 9$6.62 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 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$12.5 | C$ 17$12.5 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | C$ 11$8.09 | Calgary โ9% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | C$ 3.35$2.46 | Toronto โ16% |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | C$ 20$14.7 | Toronto โ50% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | C$ 260$191 | Calgary โ31% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | C$ 2,150$1,581 | Calgary โ26% |
| Laundry | C$ 5.1$3.75 | C$ 5.5$4.04 | Calgary โ7% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | C$ 34$25 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 33$24.3 | C$ 35$25.7 | Calgary โ6% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | C$ 100$73.5 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | C$ 100$73.5 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 25$18.4 | C$ 30$22.1 | Calgary โ17% |
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 Toronto?
Calgary is 17% cheaper than Toronto. Daily budget $274 vs $336; a month $4,857 vs $5,782.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or Toronto?
About the same: Calgary 1.4/5, Toronto 1.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and Toronto?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and Toronto about $5,782 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.