Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Cartago: $1,713 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Cartago
Learn more

Cartago Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
Learn more

Montreal Living Index

Jump to prices

Cartago

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,713

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,713 in Cartago versus $2,018 in Montreal.

Cartago $1,713
Montreal $2,018

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,362 in Cartago versus $3,085 in Montreal.

Cartago $2,362
Montreal $3,085

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,011 in Cartago versus $4,152 in Montreal.

Cartago $3,011
Montreal $4,152

Living in Cartago costs roughly 15% less than in Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cartago 27% above, Montreal 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 ₡3,882

$18.82 CA$26.75

-54.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.53 ₡15.5K

$70.3 CA$99.9

-50.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 ₡4,458

$10.66 CA$15.14

-6.94%

Cappuccino

$4.54 ₡2,040

$3.84 CA$5.46

18.23%

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

$2.13 ₡957

$1.92 CA$2.72

10.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₡611

$1.54 CA$2.19

-11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ₡966

$6.23 CA$8.86

-65.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 ₡1,823

$7.10 CA$10.08

-42.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 ₡1,075

$2.31 CA$3.29

3.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ₡1,067

$3.14 CA$4.47

-24.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 ₡1,112

$3.21 CA$4.57

-23.05%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,604

$3.52 CA$5.00

1.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 ₡3,868

$12.81 CA$18.21

-32.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 ₡4,664

$11.46 CA$16.29

-9.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 ₡6,265

$13.39 CA$19.03

4.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 ₡2,356

$3.14 CA$4.46

66.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ₡580

$1.44 CA$2.04

-10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.49 ₡2,018

$3.47 CA$4.94

29.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 ₡1,309

$3.07 CA$4.37

-5.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ₡1,006

$1.90 CA$2.70

17.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 ₡973

$1.77 CA$2.52

22.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$2.34 CA$3.33

-53.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₡979

$1.55 CA$2.21

40.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 ₡2,728

$11.38 CA$16.17

-46.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 ₡6,810

$10.63 CA$15.11

42.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₡1,298

$2.27 CA$3.23

27.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₡914

$2.82 CA$4.01

-28.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ₡614

$2.66 CA$3.78

-48.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 ₡32.9K

$77.3 CA$110

-5.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₡600

$3.20 CA$4.55

-58.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡703

$1.48 CA$2.10

5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ₡4,023

$32.88 CA$46.73

-72.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₡679

$1.34 CA$1.91

12.69%

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

$21.7K ₡9.7M

$28.2K CA$40.0K

-22.95%

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

$35.1K ₡15.8M

$19.6K CA$27.9K

78.91%

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

$52.4 ₡23.6K

$76.0 CA$108

-30.98%

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

$35.12 ₡15.8K

$33.95 CA$48.26

3.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 ₡26.9K

$42.31 CA$60.1

41.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$29.76 CA$42.29

147.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$77.8 ₡34.9K

$20.28 CA$28.83

283.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 ₡3,268

$11.15 CA$15.85

-34.80%

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

$549 ₡246.6K

$507 CA$721

8.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,878 ₡3.5M

$16.1K CA$22.8K

-50.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 ₡31.5K

$57.6 CA$81.8

21.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 ₡25.4K

$37.58 CA$53.4

50.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ₡54.5K

$91.9 CA$131

31.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 ₡39.4K

$110 CA$156

-19.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 ₡415.0K

$1,260 CA$1,792

-26.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₡316.5K

$948 CA$1,347

-25.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,869 ₡839.7K

$2,137 CA$3,037

-12.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 ₡325.4K

$1,614 CA$2,293

-55.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,960 CA$7,049

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,838 CA$5,454

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,344 ₡604.0K

$2,827 CA$4,019

-52.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.48

92.41%

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

Last update for Cartago: October 11, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cartago

$704 41.1%

Montreal

$948 47% 34.5% $243

Groceries & Markets

Cartago

$348 20.3%

Montreal

$346 17.2% 0.5% $1.8

Eating Out

Cartago

$186 10.9%

Montreal

$288 14.3% 54.6% $102

Clothing & Footwear

Cartago

$151 8.8%

Montreal

$133 6.6% 11.6% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cartago

$147 8.6%

Montreal

$152 7.5% 3.3% $4.8

Sport & Entertainment

Cartago

$88 5.2%

Montreal

$52 2.6% 41% $36

Getting Around

Cartago

$88 5.1%

Montreal

$99 4.9% 12.2% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $923 in Cartago and $1,260 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 110% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Cartago vs $70.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $348 vs $346, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Cartago

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

02:11 2:11 AM

04:11 4:11 AM

2 h ahead of Cartago

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

110,000

1,762,949

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 CAD = 0.704 USD

1 CAD = 0.628 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cartago Montreal 4,080 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Cartago
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

Cartago vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and transport. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 110% lower in Montreal. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $923 in Cartago versus $1,260 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cartago runs roughly 6% less than in Montreal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $549 in Cartago versus $507 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,713 in Cartago versus $2,018 in Montreal, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cartago is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montreal, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cartago and Montreal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cartago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.