Should you visit Calgary or Victoria?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Calgary and Victoria can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
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 city 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 $134, while the average daily cost in Victoria is $159. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Calgary and Victoria in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Calgary is $126. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Victoria, $198 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Victoria, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $99, such as in a hostel.
Food
In Calgary travelers spend around $27 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
On average, meal and food prices in Victoria cost around $24 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $9.60.
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Food
Meals for one day
Calgary $27
Victoria $24
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
$8.89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Victoria
For Victoria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Georgie Bass (Patch 2 Plate) Cooking Classes:
$123
-
Small Group Wine & Food Tour to the Cowichan Valley:
$128
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Calgary is $11 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Victoria's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $32 per person, per day on transportation in Victoria.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Calgary
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Calgary:
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Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Downtown to Calgary Airport (YYC):
$59
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Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary Downtown:
$59
-
Transfer in Private Car from Calgary Downtown to Calgary Airport (YYC):
$41
-
Transfer in Private Car from Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary Downtown:
$41
-
Shuttle Transfer Calgary to Banff:
$387
-
Shared Arrival Transfer: Calgary Airport to Alberta Hotels:
$63
-
Round-Trip Transfer in Private Car from-to Calgary Airport in Calgary Downtown:
$82
-
Round trip transfer in private minivan from-to Calgary Airport-Calgary Downtown:
$119
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Round Trip Calgary Airport (YYC) Transfer to Calgary City Center:
$103
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Private Transfer: YYC to Calgary Downtown:
$106
-
Private Transfer: YYC to Banff by Sedan:
$333
-
Private Transfer: Calgary to Waterton Lakes:
$762
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Victoria
Also for Victoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Coach Transfer from Downtown Victoria to Downtown Vancouver:
$62
-
Coach Transfer from Downtown Victoria to Downtown Vancouver Hotels:
$73
-
Private ARRIVAL Transfer from Seychelles Airport to any Mahe Hotel:
$68
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Private Arrival Transfer from SEZ Seychelles Airport to Anse Aux Pins, Au Cap or Anse Royale:
$24
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Private Arrival Transfer from Seychelles Airport SEZ to Anse Louis, Anse Boileau, Barbaron or Grand Anse:
$38
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Private Arrival Transfer from Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) to Anse Forban, Takamaka, Baie Lazare or Anse La Mouche:
$42
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Private Arrival Transfer from Seychelles International Airport SEZ to Victoria:
$19
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Private Departure Transfer from Anse Aux Pins, Au Cap or Anse Royale to SEZ Seychelles Airport:
$24
-
Private Departure Transfer from Anse Forban, Takamaka, Baie Lazare or Anse La Mouche to Seychelles International Airport (SEZ):
$42
-
Private Departure Transfer from Victoria to Seychelles International Airport SEZ:
$19
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Private SEZ Seychelles Airport - Anse Aux Pins, Au Cap or Anse Royale Round-Trip Transfer:
$48
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Private SEZ Seychelles Airport - Anse Louis, Anse Boileau, Barbaron or Grand Anse Round-Trip Transfer:
$75
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.
Entertainment
Calgary's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $14 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Victoria can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $40 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Typical Entertainment prices in Calgary
Here are a few typical costs in Calgary for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Calgary
Here are a few actual costs in Calgary for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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15Seat Minivan -Private Tour From Calgary-Banff/Canmore/Edmonton/Drumheller:
$837
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4-Day Winter Banff Mini Tour:
$1,081
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7seat Minivan -Private Tour From Calgary-Banff/Canmore/Edmonton/Drumheller:
$512
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Calgary City Sightseeing Tour:
$173
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Calgary and Banff Mountain Biking Adventure:
$347
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Calgary to Royal Tyler Museum | Drumheller | Badland – Private Sightseeing Tour:
$195
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Calgary's Beltline District GPS-Guided Audio Walking Tour:
$5.63
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Private Tour with a Local:
$29
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Columbia Icefield Adventure 1-Day Tour from Calgary or Banff:
$152
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Creepy Calgary Ghost Tour:
$309
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Discover Downtown Calgary GPS-Guided Audio Walking Tour:
$4.84
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Drumheller & Horseshoe Canyon 1-Day Tour:
$118
Tours and Activities in Victoria
For Victoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Victoria Grand City Private Tour and Craigdarroch Castle:
$11
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Victoria Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$15
-
Historical Chinatown Walking Tour:
$17
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Victoria Extreme Adventure Obstacle Course:
$18
-
Victoria Kids Aerial Adventure Course:
$23
-
Victoria Scenic Walking Tour Guided by a Professional Photographer:
$23
-
Half-Day Hop-On-Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour:
$27
-
Victoria Welcome Tour: Private Tour with a Local:
$29
-
Walking Tour of Victoria Mahe:
$31
-
Victoria Classic Adventure Course:
$41
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Victoria Castles and Neighborhoods Bike Tour:
$48
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Downtown Victoria Food & City Tour:
$51
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Calgary may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $9.63 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting Victoria spend on average $14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Calgary
Also in Calgary, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Calgary Bar Crawl: Cruisin' Calgary:
$12
Sample the Local Flavors in Victoria
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Victoria:
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Pedal Pub Crawl Downtown Victoria:
$33
-
Victoria Craft Brewery Tour and Tastings:
$65
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Victoria Craft Beer and Distillery Tour:
$87
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Victoria Wine Tour with Private Tastings and Samples:
$99
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Half-Day Victoria to Cowichan Valley Wine Tour with Tastings:
$116
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Private Wine Tasting in Beautiful Cowichan Valley:
$117
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Private Saanich Peninsula Wine Tour:
$117
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Private Pub Tour on Vancouver Island:
$264
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Cowichan Valley Wine Tasting: Explore Vancouver Island's New Wine Appelation:
$273
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Victoria Whale -Watching Tour and Wine Tour:
$333
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Cowichan Valley Wine Tours from Victoria:
$430
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Wine Tasting Tour in The Yarra Valley:
$582
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.
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