Which place is cheaper, Calgary or Melbourne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Melbourne or Calgary?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Melbourne or Calgary? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Melbourne or Calgary?
Melbourne
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. It is also the capital city of the state of Victoria, in southeastern Australia. Melbourne is arguably the best city to experience culture and the arts in Australia. There is a friendly rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney over livability and popularity and Melbourne is definitely the city to visit for its parks, shopping, restaurants, galleries and theaters. Like Sydney, it is situated on the water, at the head of Port Phillip Bay. It's a beautiful city, and although it lacks the major sights that you'll find in Sydney such as the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, you will never find yourself lacking for entertainment. It is also a wonderful base for exploring many of the nearby highlights, including Grampians National Park, The Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island where you can view the penguin parade.
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 Water Sports Tour Packages in Australia, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia, 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 dayMelbourne $179Calgary $156
The average daily cost (per person) in Melbourne is $179, 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 Melbourne and Calgary in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelbourne $120Calgary $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelbourne $240Calgary $148
Compare Hotels in Melbourne and Calgary
Looking for a hotel in Melbourne 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: Melbourne Hotel Prices and Calgary Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melbourne $20Calgary $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melbourne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
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Airport Bus$11
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Tram Ride$2.51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melbourne
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Luxury Airport Transfers & Best Limo Service in Melbourne: $88
- Melbourne Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers : $110
- Airport Transfers: $143
- Arrival Transfer Melbourne Airport MEL to Melbourne in Sedan: $115
- Arrival Transfer from Melbourne Airport MEL to Melbourne in Van: $163
- Avalon Airport Transfers: $167
- Ballarat - Melbourne Airport Transfers: $179
- Departure Transfer Melbourne to Melbourne Airport MEL in Sedan: $115
- Departure Transfer from Melbourne to Melbourne Airport MEL in Van: $163
- From Melbourne Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Melbourne: $79
- From Lake Mountain Ski Resort Tour with Transfers: $958
- GoBlu-EV: 100% Electric Cabs for Airport & City Transfer in MEL: $33
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
- 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 Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Luxury Van: $128
- Private Transfer from Calgary Airport to Sunshine Village : $60
- Private Transfer from Calgary Airport to Calgary Hotels: $63
- Private Calgary to Banff One-way Transfer in Luxury Car: $296
- Lake Louise: Calgary to Lake Louise Private Transfer 1 Way: $475
Is it cheaper to fly into Melbourne or Calgary?
Prices for flights to both Calgary and Melbourne 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 dayMelbourne $31Calgary $31
Typical Food Prices in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee$2.64
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Pizza$4.62
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Queen Victoria Market: 'Flavours of Australia' Food Tour: $52
- Eynesbury Homestead Dinner and Ghost Tour: $54
- Melbourne Sunset Kayaking Experience with Dinner: $79
- Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner: $79
- Melbourne Private Multicultural Markets Food Tour: $87
- Chinese Dumpling Cooking Class with a Drink: $98
- Pizza Making Party: $100
- Secret Food Tours Melbourne: $107
- Secret Food Tour: $109
- Chinese Cooking Class Master: $118
- Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise: $124
- Choose Your Asian Cuisine Cooking Masterclass: $130
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.Melbourne $28Calgary $16
Tours and Activities in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Melbourne:Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $3.23
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Melbourne Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $3.29
- Escape Game and Tour: $6.46
- Marvellous A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Melbourne Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- MoPA Children's Museum Admission Ticket: $9.25
- Immigration Museum Entry Ticket: $9.91
- Melbourne Museum Entry Ticket: $9.91
- Melbourne Gardens Explorer Minibus Tour: $9.91
- Scienceworks Entry Ticket: $9.91
- Questo Self-guided Haunted Melbourne Walking Tour: $11
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 Yoho Tour | Moraine Lake | Johnston Canyon | From Calgary: $118
- 2 Days Jasper and Banff Tour from Calgary: $163
- 2-Hour Private Walking Tour of Calgary's Highlights: $238
- 2-Hour Scooter Tour of Calgary's City Highlights: $68
- 3-Hour Bike Tour of Calgary, E-Bike Upgrade Options Available: $101
- 3-Hour Street Art Tour of Calgary with Craft Beer Tastings: $101
- 3-Hour Tips Based Walking Tour of Calgary: $5.46
- Afternoon tour to Banff from Calgary: $244
- Banff Area & Johnston Canyon 1-Day Tour from Calgary or Banff: $119
- Banff Deep 1 Day Tour in Banff National Park: $172
- Banff Hot Springs - Gondola - Wildlife Tour from Calgary/Banff: $116
- Banff, Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Tour from Calgary, Canmore: $96
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelbourne $17Calgary $11
Typical Alcohol Prices in Melbourne
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
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Bottle of Wine$5.12
Sample the Local Flavors in Melbourne
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Melbourne Pub Crawl: $17
- Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry: $19
- Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $26
- MELBOURNE Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Tour: $26
- Melbourne Halloween Bar Crawl: $33
- Laid back,Small-Group Yarra Valley Wine Tour :Wine,Gin,Cider+more: $87
- Yarra Valley Day Trip with Local Wine Tastings from Melbourne: $102
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour inc lunch with a glass of wine, tastings and chocolate: $116
- Yarra Valley Gourmet Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $129
- Southern Gippsland boutique Wine Tour with Tapas from Melbourne : $140
- Wine Tour Yarra Valley, Vic - inc. 2 course lunch + glass of wine: $165
- Mornington Peninsula Premium Tour with Wine Tasting at Yabby Lake : $172
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 comparing the travel costs between Melbourne and Calgary, we can see that Melbourne is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Melbourne is in Pacific and Calgary is in North America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Melbourne Expensive? and Is Calgary Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melbourne or Calgary?
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Calgary. When comparing the sizes of Melbourne 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.