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Calgary vs Victoria 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 Victoria
At a glance
- Where Victoria is clearly cheaper: Transit (25%โ)
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (29%โ), Laundry (27%โ), Street food (20%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 | Victoria | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | C$ 24$17.6 | similar |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | C$ 15$11 | Calgary โ20% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | C$ 50$36.8 | Victoria โ9% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | C$ 5.5$4.04 | Victoria โ8% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | C$ 9$6.62 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 15$11 | C$ 16$11.8 | Calgary โ6% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | C$ 2.75$2.02 | Calgary โ9% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | C$ 3$2.21 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | C$ 18$13.2 | Calgary โ6% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | C$ 10$7.35 | similar |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | C$ 3$2.21 | Victoria โ25% |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | C$ 45$33.1 | Calgary โ11% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | C$ 200$147 | Calgary โ10% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | C$ 2,000$1,471 | Calgary โ20% |
| Laundry | C$ 5.1$3.75 | C$ 7$5.15 | Calgary โ27% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | C$ 35$25.7 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 33$24.3 | C$ 32$23.5 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | C$ 120$88.2 | Calgary โ17% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | C$ 100$73.5 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 25$18.4 | C$ 35$25.7 | Calgary โ29% |
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 Victoria?
Calgary is 12% cheaper than Victoria. Daily budget $274 vs $284; a month $4,857 vs $6,054.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or Victoria?
About the same: Calgary 1.4/5, Victoria 1.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and Victoria?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and Victoria about $6,054 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.