A Travel Price Comparison for Canada Calgary vs. Victoria for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Calgary or Victoria?

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 Victoria 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 Victoria?

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.

Victoria

The capital city of British Columbia, Canada, Victoria is positioned near the southern edge of Vancouver Island. It's a wonderfully pleasant city and has been nicknamed the Garden City because of its vast green space and public gardens. There is a population of just over 80,000 in the city proper and almost 350,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Dating back to 1843, it's also one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest. As such, it has many historic buildings and beautiful architecture. It also has the second oldest Chinatown in North America, following San Francisco's.

Which place is cheaper, Victoria or Calgary?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Calgary is $155, while the average daily cost in Victoria is $182. 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 Victoria in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Calgary $73
    Victoria $113
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Calgary $146
    Victoria $226
Compare Hotels in Calgary and Victoria

Looking for a hotel in Calgary or Victoria? 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.

Hotels in Calgary


Hotels in Victoria


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 Victoria Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Calgary $13
    Victoria $37

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Calgary

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Calgary:

  • Transfer in private minivan from Calgary to Downtown Calgary Airport (YYC): $138
  • Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Downtown - Calgary Airport (YYC): $77
  • Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary Downtown: $138
  • Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Airport (YYC) - Calgary Downtown: $77
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Calgary Downtown - Calgary Airport (YYC): $71
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Calgary Airport (YYC) - Calgary Downtown: $71
  • Shuttle Transfer Calgary to Banff: $362
  • Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle Calgary Airport (YYC) -Calgary Downtown: $143
  • Roundtrip Transfer Private Minivan Calgary Airport (YYC) -Calgary: $153
  • Private Transfer: Calgary to Lake Louise in Luxury Vehicle: $603
  • Private Transfer: Calgary to Banff or Canmore: $489
  • Private Transfer: Calgary Airport to Downtown: $112

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Victoria

Also for Victoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Vancouver: Floatplane Transfer between Vancouver & Victoria: $209
  • Victoria to Vancouver Ferry with Bus Transfer: $73

Is it cheaper to fly into Calgary or Victoria?

Prices for flights to both Victoria 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Calgary $31
    Victoria $27
Typical Food prices in Calgary

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Calgary:


  • Bread, Chips, Cheese
    $8.13

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: $82

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Victoria

For Victoria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Victoria Cozy Christmas Food Tour: $48
  • Hip & Hidden Chinatown + Old Town Food Tour: $59

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Calgary $16
    Victoria $46
Typical Entertainment prices in Calgary

Here are a few typical costs in Calgary for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • 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:

  • Classic Banff DayTour: Banff, Sulphur Mountain, Johnston Canyon : $129
  • Lake Louise, Moraine Lake & Banff Tour: $414
  • 1 Day Tour in Rocky Mountain Banff National Park: $130
  • 2 Day Guided Tour in Banff National Park: $299
  • 2-Day Private Tour in Jasper National Park: $1,884
  • 2-Hour Private Walking Tour of Calgary's Highlights: $241
  • 2-Hour Scooter Tour of Calgary's City Highlights: $66
  • 3-Day Rockies Adventure in Johnston Canyon & Lake Louise : $509
  • 3-Day Rockies Classic Tour (Yoho & Jasper National Park): $720
  • 3-Hour Street Art Tour of Calgary with Craft Beer Tastings: $66
  • 3-Hour Tips Based Walking Tour of Calgary: $5.28
  • 4-day Winter Rocky Mountain Tour, Calgary in Vancouver out: $673

Tours and Activities in Victoria

For Victoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Victoria Harbor: Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.18
  • 2.5-hour Tips-Based City Walking Tour: $5.19
  • Scavenger Hunt and City Highlights Walking Tour: $14
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
  • Butterfly Gardens Admission Ticket: $14
  • Malahat SkyWalk General Admission Tickets: $29
  • Mystical Rainforest Tour - Forest Magick: $39
  • Victoria Welcome Tour: Private Tour with a Local: $44
  • Victoria Clue Solving Adventure - After The Gold Rush: $47
  • Bites and Sights Tour with Food, Drinks, and Ferry: $48
  • 2-Hour History and Highlights Bike Tour: $50
  • Castles, Hoods & Legends - Bike Tour: $51

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Calgary $11
    Victoria $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Calgary

Also in Calgary, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Calgary Bar Crawl: Cruisin' Calgary: $12
  • Calgary Brewery Tour: $90

Sample the Local Flavors in Victoria

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Victoria:

  • 3-Hour Street Art & Craft Beer Tour of Victoria, Brewery Tour & Tasting included: $66
  • Victoria Craft Beer and Distillery Tour: $113
  • Private Wine Tasting in Beautiful Cowichan Valley: $132
  • Private Saanich Peninsula Wine Tour : $147
  • Private Winery, Distillery, and Brewery Tour by Luxury Vehicle: $339
  • From Private Cowichan Valley Wine Tour with Lunch: $444
  • Cowichan Valley Wine Tasting: Explore Vancouver Island's New Wine Appelation: $452


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Calgary and Victoria, we can see that Victoria 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 Victoria would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Victoria than you might in Calgary.

Which is Bigger, Calgary or Victoria?

Calgary is bigger, and its population is about 3.5 times larger than the population of Victoria. When comparing the population of Calgary vs. Victoria, 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 and the activities 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.
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Calgary vs. Victoria Travel Comparison

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