Which place is cheaper, Calgary or Budapest?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Budapest or Calgary?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Budapest and Calgary can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Budapest or Calgary?
Budapest
Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. It has been called the "Paris of the East" because of its impressive architecture and general beauty. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 because of its cultural importance, its location on the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrassy Avenue. In addition to its rich history, Budapest still has a young vibe with a lot of energy. There's an active night life, an impressive music scene, and a good reputation with European youth.
Calgary
Calgary is the largest city in Alberta and, located at the edge of the prairie and foothills, it is a gateway to the Rocky Mountains. If you're headed to Banff or Jasper, this is likely to be your first stop. It's also Canada's fourth largest city and worth a few days visit. Calgary's economy is diverse, but includes energy, financial services, film and television, transportation, technology, manufacturing, and much more.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Budapest, The Best 2-Week Tours from Budapest, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBudapest $91Calgary $156
The average daily cost (per person) in Budapest is $91, while the average daily cost in Calgary is $156. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Budapest and Calgary in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBudapest $50Calgary $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBudapest $100Calgary $148
Compare Hotels in Budapest and Calgary
Looking for a hotel in Budapest or Calgary? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Budapest Hotel Prices and Calgary Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Budapest $11Calgary $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budapest
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:
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Short Taxi Ride$7.05
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Metro Pass$3.87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budapest
Also for Budapest, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bucharest - Romania to Budapest - Hungary /Private Transfer: $1,190
- Budapest - Bük Transfer: $153
- Budapest - Debrecen Transfer: $168
- Budapest - Hungary to Bucharest - Romania /Private Transfer: $1,298
- Budapest - Pécs Transfer: $150
- Budapest Airport BUD Arrival Private Transfer to Budapest City: $90
- Budapest Airport Private Luxury Transfer by a Mercedes Benz S Class: $120
- Budapest Airport Transfer: $55
- Budapest Airport Transfer - Round trip to and from Liszt Ferenc Airport: $78
- Budapest Airport Transfer - return (arrival & departure) with discount: $51
- Budapest Airport Transfer: Budapest Airport BUD to Budapest City in Business Car: $75
- Budapest Airport Transfer: Budapest City to Budapest Airport BUD in Business Car: $75
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Calgary
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Calgary:
- From Icefields Parkway Route Tour w/Hotel Transfers: $731
- Private Transfer to Banff or Canmore: $621
- From Private Transfer to Lake Louise: $584
- From Calgary Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Banff: $511
- Lake Louise: Calgary to Lake Louise Private Transfer 1 Way: $475
- Banff To Calgary Airport - Private Transfer: $365
- From Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Banff by Tesla: $365
- Private Calgary to Banff One-way Transfer in Luxury Car: $296
- Calgary Air to Fairmont/Radium Hot Springs Round-Trip Transfer: $295
- Calgary Airport to Lake Louise | Private Transfer: $282
- Calgary International Airport (YYC) to Field - Roundtrip Transfer: $252
- Calgary Airport (YYC) to Lake Louise | Private Transfer: $235
Is it cheaper to fly into Budapest or Calgary?
Prices for flights to both Calgary and Budapest change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBudapest $23Calgary $31
Typical Food Prices in Budapest
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:
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Lunch$3.44
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Downtown Budapest Cruise with Pizza and Beer: $45
- Pizza & Beer Downtown Budapest Cruise: $46
- Vegan Hungarian Food Tour (full meals): $52
- Medieval Dinner Show with Drinks: $53
- Vegan Hungarian Food Tour / Local delights: $57
- Private Street Food Tour: $59
- Danube Cruise with Hungarian Dinner and Live Music: $74
- Budapest Danube Cruise with Buffet Dinner, Performances and Music: $75
- Chefparade Cooking School_ Hungarian menu: $79
- Evening Cruise and Dinner with Champagne: $86
- Lángos (Hungary’s nr1 streetfood) cooking class: $87
- Candlelit Dinner River Cruise with Live Music: $91
Typical Food Prices in Calgary
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Calgary:
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Bread, Chips, Cheese$8.16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Calgary
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Calgary.
- Light Brunch & Food Tour at Calgary Farmers' Market WEST: $81
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Budapest $22Calgary $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Entrance to the Baths for Two$6.91
Tours and Activities in Budapest
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Free Tour Budapest Essential in Spanish: $3.26
- Guided Tour in Budapest Castle District: $3.28
- Welcome to Budapest Walking Tour: $3.28
- Original Budapest Walking Tour: $3.28
- Communist History Evening Walking Tour of Budapest: $3.28
- Self Guided City Audio Tour in Buda Castle: $5.46
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.92
- Escape Game and Tour: $5.92
- Historical Heroes & Hot Spa Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Discovering Budapest's hot pools and heroes: a self-guided audio tour: $5.99
- TOP 10 Budapest- City Tour : $6.00
Typical Entertainment Prices in Calgary
Here are a few typical costs in Calgary for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Stampede Admission (for 2)$22
Tours and Activities in Calgary
Here are a few actual costs in Calgary for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Yoho Tour | Moraine Lake | Johnston Canyon | From Calgary: $118
- 2 Days Jasper and Banff Tour from Calgary: $163
- 2-Hour Private Walking Tour of Calgary's Highlights: $238
- 2-Hour Scooter Tour of Calgary's City Highlights: $68
- 3-Hour Bike Tour of Calgary, E-Bike Upgrade Options Available: $101
- 3-Hour Street Art Tour of Calgary with Craft Beer Tastings: $101
- 3-Hour Tips Based Walking Tour of Calgary: $5.46
- Afternoon tour to Banff from Calgary: $244
- Banff Area & Johnston Canyon 1-Day Tour from Calgary or Banff: $119
- Banff Deep 1 Day Tour in Banff National Park: $172
- Banff Hot Springs - Gondola - Wildlife Tour from Calgary/Banff: $116
- Banff, Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Tour from Calgary, Canmore: $96
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBudapest $18Calgary $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest
Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- 5-Hour Pub Crawl through Ruin Bars: $22
- The Original Budapest Pub Crawl - One Hour Open Bar + Free Shots: $22
- Ultimate Budapest Pub Crawl: $23
- Ultimate Budapest Pub Crawl: $23
- Bingo Bar Crawl: $25
- Ruin Bar Pub Crawl with Entry Tickets: $29
- Detective Pub Crawl Game by App: $38
- 8-Tier Hungarian Wine Tasting in a Cozy Downtown Wine Bar: $39
- Tipsy Tour Fun Bar Crawl with a Local Guide: $42
- Drunken History Bar Crawl Tour with Local Drinks: $42
- Private Wine Tasting in Budapest: $50
- Hungarian Wine Tasting (with Cheese and Charcuterie) in Budapest: $50
Sample the Local Flavors in Calgary
Also in Calgary, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Calgary Brewery and Wine Tours at Award Winning Venues: $83
- Calgary Brewery Tour: $89
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Budapest and Calgary, we can see that Calgary is more expensive. And not only is Budapest much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Budapest is in Europe and Calgary is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Budapest would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Budapest and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Calgary would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Calgary than you might in Budapest.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Budapest Expensive? and Is Calgary Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Budapest or Calgary?
Budapest has a larger population, and is about 66% larger than the population of Calgary. When comparing the sizes of Budapest and Calgary, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.