Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cancun and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Cancun: $1,428 a month against $2,003 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

68

Cost of Living Index in Cancun
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Cancun Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Cancun

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,428

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,003

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cancun 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 Cancun and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,428 per month in Cancun vs $2,003 in Montreal, rent included.

Cancun $1,428
Montreal $2,003

A couple spends around $2,290 per month in Cancun vs $3,048 in Montreal, rent included.

Cancun $2,290
Montreal $3,048

A family of three spends $3,152 per month in Cancun vs $4,092 in Montreal, rent included.

Cancun $3,152
Montreal $4,092

Cancun is about 29% cheaper than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cancun and Montreal sit above the global median – Cancun by 7%, Montreal by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 MX$205

$19.31 CA$27.52

-42.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.6 MX$1,003

$75.5 CA$108

-27.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.30 MX$208

$10.63 CA$15.15

6.30%

Cappuccino

$3.86 MX$71.0

$3.93 CA$5.60

-1.78%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$25.26

$1.92 CA$2.73

-28.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$14.76

$1.48 CA$2.11

-45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 MX$56.5

$6.30 CA$8.98

-51.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 MX$79.9

$7.19 CA$10.24

-39.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MX$29.94

$2.22 CA$3.17

-26.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$49.81

$3.06 CA$4.36

-11.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MX$30.27

$2.94 CA$4.19

-43.88%

Eggs

$2.72 MX$50.0

$3.53 CA$5.03

-22.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 MX$182

$13.19 CA$18.79

-24.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 MX$162

$11.24 CA$16.02

-21.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 MX$255

$13.81 CA$19.69

0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MX$52.0

$3.40 CA$4.85

-16.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 MX$30.66

$1.44 CA$2.06

15.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 MX$58.7

$3.26 CA$4.65

-1.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$39.74

$2.88 CA$4.10

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.27

$1.86 CA$2.65

9.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$34.95

$1.82 CA$2.60

4.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.12

$2.43 CA$3.46

-52.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$22.47

$1.52 CA$2.17

-19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 MX$82.8

$11.45 CA$16.32

-60.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 MX$184

$10.36 CA$14.76

-3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 MX$28.61

$2.22 CA$3.16

-29.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MX$50.1

$2.82 CA$4.02

-3.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$11.82

$2.58 CA$3.67

-75.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.64 MX$526

$76.9 CA$110

-62.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.50 MX$82.5

$3.25 CA$4.64

38.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 MX$54.7

$1.48 CA$2.11

101.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.62 MX$250

$33.04 CA$47.09

-58.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.84

$1.36 CA$1.94

11.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.0K MX$385.8K

$27.4K CA$39.1K

-23.39%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.5K MX$449.7K

$20.0K CA$28.5K

22.60%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$172 MX$3,166

$76.1 CA$109

126.55%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.50 MX$431

$34.68 CA$49.43

-32.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.97 MX$697

$42.69 CA$60.9

-11.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.57 MX$616

$28.94 CA$41.26

16.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.50 MX$248

$20.33 CA$28.97

-33.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 MX$135

$11.21 CA$15.98

-34.61%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$205 MX$3,760

$505 CA$720

-59.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,468 MX$100.4K

$16.0K CA$22.8K

-65.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 MX$1,008

$58.5 CA$83.4

-6.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 MX$1,005

$38.00 CA$54.2

44.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MX$1,412

$92.7 CA$132

-17.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 MX$1,732

$106 CA$151

-10.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 MX$12.3K

$1,240 CA$1,768

-45.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MX$8,518

$986 CA$1,405

-52.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 MX$25.2K

$2,102 CA$2,996

-34.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$19.7K

$1,615 CA$2,302

-33.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,281 MX$23.5K

$5,043 CA$7,188

-74.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,985 MX$36.4K

$3,830 CA$5,459

-48.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$819 MX$15.0K

$2,920 CA$4,163

-71.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.46

156.73%

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

Last update for Cancun: 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

Cancun

$464 32.9%

Montreal

$986 47.9% 113% $522

Groceries & Markets

Cancun

$287 20.3%

Montreal

$344 16.7% 19.9% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cancun

$234 16.6%

Montreal

$154 7.5% 34.4% $80

Eating Out

Cancun

$202 14.3%

Montreal

$293 14.2% 44.8% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Cancun

$126 9%

Montreal

$133 6.5% 5% $6.4

Getting Around

Cancun

$51 3.6%

Montreal

$98 4.8% 93.3% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Cancun

$48 3.4%

Montreal

$51 2.5% 6.5% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $672 in Cancun 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 257% higher in Montreal, 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 $55.0 in Cancun versus $75.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $344 – making Cancun the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Cancun

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

21:52 9:52 PM

22:52 10:52 PM

1 h ahead of Cancun

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

888,797

1,762,949

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 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).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cancun Montreal 2,970 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Cancun
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

Cancun vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,428 in Cancun, $2,003 in Montreal – roughly 40% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,141 per month in Cancun and $3,005 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cancun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $205 per month in Cancun and $505 in Montreal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cancun, where all-in costs run around $1,428, than in Montreal at $2,003. In Cancun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cancun has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,428 in Cancun to $2,003 in Montreal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Cancun. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.