Which place is cheaper, Calgary or Lima?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Lima or Calgary?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Lima and Calgary. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Lima or Calgary?
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, The Best Adventure Tours to Peru, 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 dayLima $76Calgary $156
The average daily cost (per person) in Lima is $76, 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 Lima and Calgary in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLima $49Calgary $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLima $98Calgary $148
Compare Hotels in Lima and Calgary
Looking for a hotel in Lima 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: Lima Hotel Prices and Calgary Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lima $5.67Calgary $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.37
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Taxi Ride$5.37
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Short Taxi Ride$4.03
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Airport Transfer Service in Lima: $95
- Assistance /Transfer Hotel - Airport Lima Airport : $40
- Deluxe Car Lima Transfer - Private Service: $29
- From The Larco Museum Complete Tour with transfers: $56
- J.Chavez Airport to Miraflores City Hotels- Round Trip Transfer: $41
- Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima - Arrival Private Transfer : $31
- Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $61
- Jorge Chavez International Airport: Private Transfer: $25
- LIMA AIRPORT SHUTTLE - Shared Transfer: $13
- Larco Museum Tour & Gastronomic Experience with rountrip transfer: $134
- Lima : Private transfer between airport to your destination: $29
- Lima Airport (LIM) to Miraflores - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Calgary
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Calgary:
- Private Transfer from Calgary Airport to Sunshine Village : $60
- Private Transfer from Calgary Airport to Calgary Hotels: $63
- Alberta Transfer: Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, Calgary: $67
- Calgary Int Airport (YYC) to Fernie - Arrival Private Transfer: $76
- Calgary Downtown Transfers: $88
- Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Airport (YYC) - Calgary Downtown: $91
- Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Downtown - Calgary Airport (YYC): $91
- Arrival Private Transfer: Calgary Airport YYC to Calgary in Business Car: $108
- Private Transfer: Calgary Airport to Downtown: $111
- Calgary hotel or address to Calgary Airport (YYC) - Departure Private Transfer: $115
- Private Transfer: Calgary Airport YYC to Calgary by Luxury SUV: $119
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle Calgary Airport (YYC) -Calgary Downtown: $121
Is it cheaper to fly into Lima or Calgary?
Prices for flights to both Calgary and Lima 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 dayLima $17Calgary $31
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.30
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Ice cream$3.49
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Coffee$2.95
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Donut$0.94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Lima Market Food Tour: $33
- Lima Market Food Tour: $34
- Peruvian Food Tour Through Local Markets: $40
- Ceviche Cooking Class Including Pisco Sour Lesson: $40
- Lima Street Food Tour: $40
- Lima Street Food Tour: $45
- Lima Food Tour: $45
- Street Food Tour in Miraflores District: $45
- Cooking Workshop and Water Circuit Tour: $45
- Barranco Tour with Dinner: $47
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with Dinner: $47
- Private Cooking Class With a Local Family in Lima: $48
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.Lima $8.57Calgary $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
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Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)$16
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Movie Tickets$2.28
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- Free Walking Tour of Lima: $2.00
- Peru's Best Bike Experience since 2014 - 4 Hours Hire: $9.90
- Customize your trip to Peru with Lima Experience: $12
- bike tour: $12
- Skip the Line: Larco Museum Admission Ticket: $13
- Beach tour and surfboards for rent in Lima, Peru: $14
- Barranco Street Art Tour: $17
- Party tour Fridays Barranco / Saturdays Miraflores: $18
- Private Beach Guided Bike Tour in Lima : $19
- Private Tour with guide in Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI: $20
- Guided Walking Tour in Barranco: $20
- Lima Downtown Tour from Miraflores in 3 hrs: $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:
- Downtown Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- Bow River Trail Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- Downtown Calgary a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.19
- 3-Hour Tips Based Walking Tour of Calgary: $5.46
- 3-hour Tips-Based City Walking Tour: $6.58
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Rocky Mountains: Smartphone Driving and Walking Audio Tours: $15
- Calgary Downtown: 2-Hour Introductory Walking Tour: $22
- Heritage Park Historical Village Admission Ticket: $26
- Calgary self-guided walking tour and scavenger hunt: $38
- Sheep & Spirits: Diamond Valley Hiking Experience: $39
- 3-Hour Sightseeing Bus Tour: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLima $5.57Calgary $11
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$7.23
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Beer$4.03
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Cocktail$3.22
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Gin and Rum Distillery Tour: $12
- Lima Pub Crawl - Party tour: Friday Barranco/Saturday miraflores: $18
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with 10+ benefits: $18
- Party Tour in Miraflores with Bar Crawl and Drinks: $18
- Pub Crawl in Lima: $25
- Local Wine Tour : $39
- Local Wine Tour: $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 Lima and Calgary, we can see that Calgary is more expensive. And not only is Lima much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lima is in South America 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 Lima would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lima 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 Lima.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lima Expensive? and Is Calgary Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lima or Calgary?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Calgary. When comparing the sizes of Lima 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.