Which place is cheaper, Calgary or Los Angeles?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 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: Los Angeles or Calgary?
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California is probably one of the most well known cities in the United States. It is the second most populated metro area in the country with more than 17 million people. The city's diversity is wide reaching, giving it a character that is unique from any other place in the country. LA has many world famous sights and neighborhoods including Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, and Santa Monica, but there is really so much more to this city.
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 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America, 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 dayLos Angeles $258Calgary $154
The average daily cost (per person) in Los Angeles is $258, while the average daily cost in Calgary is $154. 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 Los Angeles and Calgary in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLos Angeles $140Calgary $73
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLos Angeles $280Calgary $146
Compare Hotels in Los Angeles and Calgary
Looking for a hotel in Los Angeles 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: Los Angeles Hotel Prices and Calgary Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Los Angeles $42Calgary $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Los Angeles
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Los Angeles:
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Hotel Parking for a Day$22
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Taxi to Airport$55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Los Angeles
Also for Los Angeles, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Los Angeles Private Transfer To or From Orange County North.: $73
- Sta. Monica Private Transfer To or From Los Angeles Airport/Cruise Port.: $71
- Transfer in private car from Los Angeles Airport (LAX) - Los Angeles Downtown: $50
- World Cruise Center to Long Beach Airport (LGB) - Departure Private Transfer: $60
- Airport Transfer: $220
- Airport transfer/transfer to any place: $150
- Anaheim Resort Private Transfer to or from Hollywood.: $79
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport LAX to Los Angeles in Luxury SUV: $206
- Beverly Hills Transfers: $150
- Catalina Island w/Discover Avalon Scenic Tour & Hotel transfers: $231
- Cruise Terminal to Los Angeles Airport (LAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $63
- Departure Private Transfer: Los Angeles to Airport LAX in Business Car: $163
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Calgary
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Calgary:
- Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Downtown - Calgary Airport (YYC): $91
- Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary Downtown: $138
- Transfer in private minivan from Calgary Airport (YYC) - Calgary Downtown: $91
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Calgary Downtown - Calgary Airport (YYC): $61
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Calgary Airport (YYC) - Calgary Downtown: $61
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle Calgary Airport (YYC) -Calgary Downtown: $121
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Minivan Calgary Airport (YYC) -Calgary: $181
- Private Transfer: Calgary Airport to Downtown: $111
- Private Transfer: Calgary Airport YYC to Calgary by Luxury SUV: $119
- Private Transfer from YYC Airport to Kicking Horse or Panorama: $76
- Private Transfer from Fernie to Calgary International Airport: $76
- Private Transfer from Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Luxury Van: $128
Is it cheaper to fly into Los Angeles or Calgary?
Prices for flights to both Calgary and Los Angeles 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 dayLos Angeles $60Calgary $31
Typical Food Prices in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Mexican Dinner (family of 4)$32
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Burritos for Two$15
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Coffee and Danish$7.70
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Venice Beach Food Tour with Tastings: $75
- Santa Monica Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $82
- 3-Hour Secret Food Tour: $88
- Downtown Los Angeles Food Tour: $89
- West Hollywood Food Tour: $89
- Downtown Food Tour: $89
- Venice Beach Food Tour: $89
- LA Venice Beach Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $99
- Night Cruise in Marina del Rey with Dinner: $124
- Vegan African Dinner Party in Playa Del Ray: $132
- Marina Del Rey: Thanksgiving Buffet Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $136
- Marina Del Rey: Christmas Eve Buffet Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $136
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$8.10
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.Los Angeles $82Calgary $15
Typical Entertainment Prices in Los Angeles
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Los Angeles's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Santa Monica Pier Rides (family of 4)$37
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Bowling$13
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Hollywood Tour for Two$30
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Six Flags for 2$96
Tours and Activities in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Los Ángeles self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.28
- Gambling Built the Sunset Strip: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.99
- Hollywood Secrets: In App Audio Tour at the Famous District: $5.00
- Gambling Built the Sunset Strip: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Hollywood Boulevard’s Haunting History and Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Chinatown Self-Guided Audio Tour (ENG): $5.40
- The Heart of Los Angeles’ Dreamland: A Self-Guide Tour in Culver City: $5.99
- LA: Broad Museum & Downtown Walk In-App Audio Tour: $7.00
- Lost Souls of Hollywood Smartphone Ghost Tour: $7.30
- Pacific Coast Hwy (LA Santa Maria): Smartphone Audio Tour: $7.30
- LA Little Tokyo to Olvera St Smartphone (App/GPS) Walking Tour: $7.50
- Lost Souls of Hollywood Blvd: a Smartphone Audio Ghost Tour: $7.99
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 in Rocky Mountain Yoho National Park: $156
- 2 Day Guided Tour in Banff National Park: $295
- 2 Days Jasper and Banff Tour from Calgary: $163
- 2-Hour Private Walking Tour of Calgary's Highlights: $239
- 2-Hour Scooter Tour of Calgary's City Highlights: $69
- 3-Hour Bike Tour of Calgary, E-Bike Upgrade Options Available: $102
- 3-Hour Street Art Tour of Calgary with Craft Beer Tastings: $102
- 3-Hour Tips Based Walking Tour of Calgary: $5.46
- Banff Area & Johnston Canyon 1-Day Tour from Calgary or Banff: $119
- Banff Deep 1 Day Tour in Banff National Park: $171
- Banff Hot Springs - Gondola - Wildlife Tour from Calgary/Banff: $116
- Banff Tour with Gondola & Lake Cruise - roundtrip from Calgary: $239
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLos Angeles $15Calgary $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Los Angeles
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Los Angeles:
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $40
- Salsa Lesson, Burlesque and Mojitos : $149
- Salsa Lesson and Burlesque Show: $149
- Malibu: Vintage VW Sightseeing Tour and Wine Tasting: $195
- Wine Tour at Fess Parker Winery by Helicopter: $4,299
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: $90
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Los Angeles and Calgary, we can see that Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles Expensive? and Is Calgary Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Los Angeles or Calgary?
Los Angeles has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Calgary. When comparing the sizes of Los Angeles 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.