Which place is cheaper, Montreal or Calgary?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Calgary or Montreal?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Calgary and Montreal can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Calgary or Montreal?
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.
Montreal
While Quebec City is the political capital of Quebec Province, Montreal is the economic and cultural capital. It's also the second largest city in Canada, with a population of about 1.9 million and 4 million in the metropolitan area. It's the second largest French speaking city in the world behind Paris.
Montreal is a very trendy and vibrant city with an active nightlife and countless activities to enjoy. It's located on an island in the St. Lawrence River and has a humid continental climate. There are four distinct seasons. Summers are warm or hot and humid. Spring and fall are mild and winters are cold and snowy. You can expect about 2 meters of snow every year, but there are also more than 2,000 hours of sunshine annually.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Canada, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Canada, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCalgary $156Montreal $211
The average daily cost (per person) in Calgary is $156, while the average daily cost in Montreal is $211. 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 Calgary and Montreal in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCalgary $74Montreal $133
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCalgary $148Montreal $266
Compare Hotels in Calgary and Montreal
Looking for a hotel in Calgary or Montreal? 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: Calgary Hotel Prices and Montreal Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Calgary $13Montreal $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Calgary
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Calgary:
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Vancouver: $2,182
- Banff, Lake Louise, or Jasper Shuttle Transfer: $1,273
- Private Transfer to Banff or Canmore: $618
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Fernie, BC: $524
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Edmonton: $509
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Golden BC: $509
- Lake Louise: Calgary to Lake Louise Private Transfer 1 Way: $472
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Lake Louis: $364
- Banff To Calgary Airport - Private Transfer: $363
- Calgary Airport (YYC) to Lake Louise | Private Transfer: $299
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Banff: $291
- Calgary YYC Airport to Banff (Private Transfer w/ Tesla): $290
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montreal
Also for Montreal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Departure Private Transfer: Montreal to Montreal Airport YUL in Business Car: $118
- Departure Private Transfer: Montreal to Montreal Airport YUL in Luxury SUV: $165
- Departure Transfer Montreal to Montreal Airport by Limos or Bus: $153
- Departure transfer Montreal to Montreal Airport YUL by Car or SUV: $61
- From Ottawa Private Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $290
- Le Terminal Cruise Port to Québec Airport YQB Departure Transfer: $58
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Business Car: $118
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Luxury SUV: $165
- Arrival Transfer from International Airport: $65
- Arrival Transfer from International Airport: $71
- Private Departure Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL: $116
- Private Transfer To Ottawa From YUL Airport: $232
Is it cheaper to fly into Calgary or Montreal?
Prices for flights to both Montreal and Calgary 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 dayCalgary $31Montreal $36
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$8.18
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
Typical Food Prices in Montreal
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Montreal:
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Tim Hortons breakfast and coffee$9.05
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montreal
For Montreal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Beyond the Market Non-Touristy Walking Food Tour: $48
- Bateau-Mouche Cruise with A La Carte Dinner Option: $55
- No Diet Club: Walking food Tour with many tastings: $60
- Historical Food Tour with 6 Tastings: $66
- Montreal Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $73
- Beyond the Market Food Tour by Spade & Palacio: $73
- Guided Happy Hour Brew Tour in Montreal with Dinner: $82
- Montreal Cooking Class - Learn to make Dim Sums: $84
- Mile End Montreal Original Food Tour - by Local Montreal Tours: $88
- Old Montreal Food & Drink Tour by Local Montreal Food Tours: $103
- The (Anti-Package, Small-Group ) Montreal Food Tour: $127
- Jewish Neighborhood Food Tour: $129
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Calgary $16Montreal $21
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 tour of Calgary Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Emerald Lake: $73
- 1 Day Tour Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake and Peyto Lake: $95
- 1 Day Tour of Calgary Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Peyto Lake: $73
- 2 Day Guided Tour in Banff National Park: $294
- 5 lakes in one day tour including Moraine Lake from Calgary. WOW!: $107
- 6-Hour Private City Tour Drive to Calgary Tower: $691
- Afternoon tour to Banff from Calgary: $243
- Banff Area & Johnston Canyon 1-Day Tour from Calgary or Banff: $118
- Banff Deep 1 Day Tour in Banff National Park: $178
- Banff Explorer Tour w/ Moraine Lake & Lake Louise | Private: $343
- Best of Banff National Park and Iconic Lakes - Ultimate Day Tour: $95
- Calgary City Highlights Bike Tour, E-Bike Upgrade Option | 3-Hour: $100
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montreal
For Montreal, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Botanical Gardens (family of 4)$54
Tours and Activities in Montreal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Montreal.
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.27
- Montreal self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.36
- Montreal Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $4.43
- Montréal's Mile End to Outremont: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Culture Tsunami Quest Experience in Montreal Old Town: $7.18
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.62
- Self-Guided Old Town Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour: $7.88
- Prohibition Quest Experience: $8.29
- Escape Game and Tour: $8.71
- APP Self-Guided Tours Montreal with Audioguide: $8.85
- Montreal Art Center & Museum Audio Guided Tour: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCalgary $11Montreal $17
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Montreal
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Montreal:
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Vodka$18
Sample the Local Flavors in Montreal
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Montreal:
- Haunted Montreal Pub Crawl: $22
- Haunted Montreal Pub Crawl: $22
- Guided Bar Crawl with Free Shots and Club Entry: $42
- Guided Pub Crawl of the City's Rooftop Bars: $87
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Calgary and Montreal, we can see that Montreal is more expensive. And not only is Calgary much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Calgary would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Calgary 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 Montreal would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montreal than you might in Calgary.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Calgary Expensive? and Is Montreal Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Calgary or Montreal?
Montreal has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Calgary. When comparing the sizes of Calgary and Montreal, 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.