Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cupertino, CA and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $3,358 in Cupertino, CA, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cupertino, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,358
/mo nomad
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,358 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $2,018 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Cupertino, CA $3,358
  • Montreal $2,018

A couple spends around $5,303 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $3,085 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Cupertino, CA $5,303
  • Montreal $3,085

A family of three spends $7,248 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $4,152 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Cupertino, CA $7,248
  • Montreal $4,152

Cupertino, CA costs about 66% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cupertino, CA and Montreal sit above the global median – Cupertino, CA by 149%, Montreal by 49%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cupertino, CA
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.18 $25.18
$18.82 CA$26.61
33.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.1 $50.1
$70.3 CA$99.4
-28.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.88 $9.88
$10.66 CA$15.06
-7.32%
Cappuccino
$6.11 $6.11
$3.84 CA$5.43
59.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 $2.45
$1.92 CA$2.71
27.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 $2.20
$1.54 CA$2.18
42.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.80 $6.80
$6.23 CA$8.81
9.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.80 $7.80
$7.10 CA$10.03
9.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cupertino, CA
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 $1.30
$2.31 CA$3.27
-43.72%
White Bread (500g)
$3.34 $3.34
$3.14 CA$4.44
6.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.30 $4.30
$3.21 CA$4.54
33.96%
Eggs
$5.09 $5.09
$3.52 CA$4.97
44.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.65 $6.65
$12.81 CA$18.11
-48.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.46 $13.46
$11.46 CA$16.20
17.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.14 $13.14
$13.39 CA$18.92
-1.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.87 $3.87
$3.14 CA$4.43
23.25%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 $2.13
$1.44 CA$2.03
47.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 $2.23
$3.47 CA$4.91
-35.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 $2.80
$3.07 CA$4.34
-8.79%
Potato (1kg)
$2.51 $2.51
$1.90 CA$2.69
32.11%
Onion (1kg)
$3.15 $3.15
$1.77 CA$2.50
77.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.47 $2.47
$2.34 CA$3.31
5.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.55 CA$2.19
-34.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.68 $11.68
$11.38 CA$16.09
2.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.88 $12.88
$10.63 CA$15.03
21.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 $1.91
$2.27 CA$3.21
-15.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 $2.00
$2.82 CA$3.99
-29.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Cupertino, CA
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.96 $2.96
$2.66 CA$3.76
11.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$139 $139
$77.3 CA$109
79.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.22 $4.22
$3.20 CA$4.53
31.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.08 $2.08
$1.48 CA$2.09
40.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.90 $29.90
$32.88 CA$46.48
-9.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 $1.48
$1.34 CA$1.90
10.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$28.2K CA$39.8K
30.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$19.6K CA$27.8K
37.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cupertino, CA
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$257 $257
$76.0 CA$107
238.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$61.6 $61.6
$33.95 CA$48.00
81.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.4 $65.4
$42.31 CA$59.8
54.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cupertino, CA
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.40 $35.40
$29.76 CA$42.07
18.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.28 CA$28.67
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.70 $15.70
$11.15 CA$15.77
40.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cupertino, CA
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,117 $2,117
$507 CA$717
317.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.6K $24.6K
$16.1K CA$22.7K
53.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cupertino, CA
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.3 $57.3
$57.6 CA$81.4
-0.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.32 $35.32
$37.58 CA$53.1
-6.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.8 $87.8
$91.9 CA$130
-4.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.8 $58.8
$110 CA$155
-46.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cupertino, CA
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,591 $2,591
$1,260 CA$1,782
105.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,920 $1,920
$948 CA$1,340
102.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,925 $4,925
$2,137 CA$3,021
130.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,292 $4,292
$1,614 CA$2,281
165.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,960 CA$7,011
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,838 CA$5,425
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cupertino, CA
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$7,633 $7,633
$2,827 CA$3,997
169.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.53
4.48
45.76%

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

Last update for Cupertino, CA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cupertino, CA
$1.9K
Montreal
$948 50.7% $973
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cupertino, CA
$384
Montreal
$152 60.4% $232
Eating Out
Cupertino, CA
$373
Montreal
$288 22.7% $85
Groceries & Markets
Cupertino, CA
$341
Montreal
$346 1.6% $5.4
Getting Around
Cupertino, CA
$165
Montreal
$99 40.4% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Cupertino, CA
$108
Montreal
$133 24% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Cupertino, CA
$67
Montreal
$52 22.1% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,591 in Cupertino, CA versus $1,260 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 170% higher in Cupertino, CA, 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 $50.0 in Cupertino, CA versus $70.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $346 – making Cupertino, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Cupertino, CA
🇨🇦 Montreal
🕒 Local time
12:29 12:29 PM
15:29 3:29 PM
3 h ahead of Cupertino, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
58,302
1,762,949
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cupertino, CA Montreal 4,080 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cupertino, CA
  • 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
Cupertino, CA vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Cupertino, CA and in Montreal compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,358 in Cupertino, CA, $2,018 in Montreal – roughly 66% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Cupertino, CA compared to Montreal?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,036 per month in Cupertino, CA and $3,027 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Cupertino, CA and 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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Cupertino, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Cupertino, CA and $70.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,018, than in Cupertino, CA at $3,358. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cupertino, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Cupertino, CA and Montreal?
It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,018 in Montreal to $3,358 in Cupertino, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Cupertino, CA or Montreal safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Cupertino, CA and Montreal?
If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cupertino, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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