| Measure | GoldenBritish Columbia, Canada Remove Golden | Red DeerAlberta, Canada Remove Red Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.3 | 5.8 |
| Connector Score | 6.3 | 7.5 |
| Safety | 7.8 | 4.1 |
| Affordability | 5.7 | 6.9 |
| Transportation | 3.0 | 8.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 2.0 | 5.0 |
| Walkability | 3.0 | 4.8 |
| Things to do | 4.6 | 6.2 |
| Food & dining | 4.3 | 4.2 |
| Places to stay | 4.5 | 5.7 |
| Nature & outdoors | 8.5 | 5.0 |
| Scenic value | 7.3 | 5.5 |
| Family friendliness | 5.1 | 4.8 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.2 | 4.5 |
| Nightlife | 2.5 | 4.0 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 4.1 | 5.7 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 7.1 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $126 | $103 |
| Mid-range | $180 | $141 |
| Luxury | $334 | $216 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 108 | 96 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | CA$1,600 | CA$1,250 |
| Population | 3,986 | 101K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive | Drive Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Golden | — | 3 h 34 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Outdoors, Skiing | Beaches |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Food scene, Skiing & winter sports, Shopping | Beaches, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: July to August and ski season December… | Peak: Summer and Westerner Days in July, plus… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.