Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aspen, CO and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,003 a month against $5,088 in Aspen, CO, rent and utilities included – about $37,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Aspen, CO
🇺🇸 United States
$5,088
/mo nomad
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,003
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aspen, CO and in Montreal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aspen, CO and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $5,088 per month in Aspen, CO vs $2,003 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Aspen, CO $5,088
  • Montreal $2,003

A couple spends around $7,500 per month in Aspen, CO vs $3,048 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Aspen, CO $7,500
  • Montreal $3,048

A family of three spends $9,911 per month in Aspen, CO vs $4,092 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Aspen, CO $9,911
  • Montreal $4,092

Aspen, CO costs about 154% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Aspen, CO and Montreal sit above the global median – Aspen, CO by 280%, Montreal by 49%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aspen, CO
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.33 $20.33
$19.31 CA$27.52
5.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.2 $81.2
$75.5 CA$108
7.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.81 $10.81
$10.63 CA$15.15
1.69%
Cappuccino
$5.42 $5.42
$3.93 CA$5.60
37.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 $3.52
$1.92 CA$2.73
83.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$1.48 CA$2.11
90.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.10 $7.10
$6.30 CA$8.98
12.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.81 $8.81
$7.19 CA$10.24
22.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aspen, CO
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 $1.23
$2.22 CA$3.17
-44.59%
White Bread (500g)
$5.40 $5.40
$3.06 CA$4.36
76.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.80 $6.80
$2.94 CA$4.19
131.29%
Eggs
$5.68 $5.68
$3.53 CA$5.03
60.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.64 $11.64
$13.19 CA$18.79
-11.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.85 $10.85
$11.24 CA$16.02
-3.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.97 $17.97
$13.81 CA$19.69
30.12%
Apples (1kg)
$5.68 $5.68
$3.40 CA$4.85
67.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.44 CA$2.06
1.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.06 $6.06
$3.26 CA$4.65
85.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.14 $6.14
$2.88 CA$4.10
113.19%
Potato (1kg)
$4.10 $4.10
$1.86 CA$2.65
120.43%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 $3.69
$1.82 CA$2.60
102.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.42 $3.42
$2.43 CA$3.46
40.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.63 $2.63
$1.52 CA$2.17
73.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.06 $11.06
$11.45 CA$16.32
-3.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.86 $16.86
$10.36 CA$14.76
62.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 $1.82
$2.22 CA$3.16
-18.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.85 $4.85
$2.82 CA$4.02
71.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Aspen, CO
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.58 CA$3.67
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$90.3 $90.3
$76.9 CA$110
17.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.49 $2.49
$3.25 CA$4.64
-23.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.36 $1.36
$1.48 CA$2.11
-8.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.18 $24.18
$33.04 CA$47.09
-26.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.36 CA$1.94
-22.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K $35.3K
$27.4K CA$39.1K
28.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$20.0K CA$28.5K
27.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aspen, CO
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$147 $147
$76.1 CA$109
93.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$72.3 $72.3
$34.68 CA$49.43
108.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.2 $75.2
$42.69 CA$60.9
76.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aspen, CO
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$136 $136
$28.94 CA$41.26
368.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.33 CA$28.97
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.75 $16.75
$11.21 CA$15.98
49.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aspen, CO
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,576 $1,576
$505 CA$720
212.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.3K $30.3K
$16.0K CA$22.8K
89.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aspen, CO
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.7 $68.7
$58.5 CA$83.4
17.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.08 $49.08
$38.00 CA$54.2
29.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.2 $93.2
$92.7 CA$132
0.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 $143
$106 CA$151
35.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aspen, CO
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,114 $4,114
$1,240 CA$1,768
231.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,602 $3,602
$986 CA$1,405
265.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$7,880 $7,880
$2,102 CA$2,996
274.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$6,515 $6,515
$1,615 CA$2,302
303.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.8K $10.8K
$5,043 CA$7,188
113.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,455 $7,455
$3,830 CA$5,459
94.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aspen, CO
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,996 $4,996
$2,920 CA$4,163
71.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.55
4.46
46.86%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aspen, CO: October 4, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Aspen, CO
$3.6K
Montreal
$986 72.6% $2.6K
Groceries & Markets
Aspen, CO
$469
Montreal
$344 26.7% $125
Eating Out
Aspen, CO
$339
Montreal
$293 13.5% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aspen, CO
$295
Montreal
$154 47.9% $141
Sport & Entertainment
Aspen, CO
$169
Montreal
$51 69.6% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Aspen, CO
$159
Montreal
$133 16.6% $26
Getting Around
Aspen, CO
$100 *
Montreal
$98 1.7% $1.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,114 in Aspen, CO versus $1,240 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 71% higher in Aspen, CO, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Aspen, CO versus $75.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $469 vs $344 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Aspen, CO
🇨🇦 Montreal
🕒 Local time
06:28 6:28 AM
08:28 8:28 AM
2 h ahead of Aspen, CO
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
7,000
1,762,949
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aspen, CO Montreal 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Aspen, CO
  • Montreal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Aspen, CO vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Aspen, CO or Montreal?
Aspen, CO costs about 154% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Aspen, CO and in Montreal?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,633 per month in Aspen, CO and $3,005 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Aspen, CO or Montreal?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Aspen, CO or in Montreal?
Groceries cost about 36% more in Aspen, CO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Aspen, CO and in Montreal?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Aspen, CO and $75.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Aspen, CO or in Montreal?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,003, than in Aspen, CO at $5,088. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aspen, CO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Aspen, CO or Montreal?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,003 versus $5,088 in Aspen, CO. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Aspen, CO compared to Montreal?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Aspen, CO or to Montreal?
If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aspen, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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