Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,059 in Montreal.

Des Moines, IA $2,171
Montreal $2,059

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,236 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,123 in Montreal.

Des Moines, IA $3,236
Montreal $3,123

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,301 in Des Moines, IA versus $4,187 in Montreal.

Des Moines, IA $4,301
Montreal $4,187

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 5% more expensive than in Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 60% above, Montreal 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$18.84 CA$26.63

4.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$73.2 CA$104

10.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$10.54 CA$14.90

15.94%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$3.97 CA$5.61

55.16%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$1.94 CA$2.74

51.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.57 CA$2.22

63.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$6.42 CA$9.08

-22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$7.20 CA$10.19

-18.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.32 CA$3.28

-60.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.19 CA$4.51

-5.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.19 CA$4.50

5.96%

Eggs

$4.00 $4.00

$3.68 CA$5.20

8.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$13.24 CA$18.72

-26.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$11.69 CA$16.53

-15.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$13.98 CA$19.76

-2.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.14 CA$4.44

37.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.45 CA$2.05

4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.38 CA$4.78

34.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.11 CA$4.40

18.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.93 CA$2.72

59.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.83 CA$2.58

16.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.36 CA$3.34

0.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.50 CA$2.12

46.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$11.12 CA$15.73

-29.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.60 CA$14.98

39.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.22 CA$3.14

-23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.84 CA$4.01

8.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.62 CA$3.71

-33.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$79.1 CA$112

-26.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.23 CA$4.56

-39.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.48 CA$2.10

-16.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.70 $19.70

$32.22 CA$45.55

-38.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.36 CA$1.92

-31.62%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$27.6K CA$39.1K

-1.70%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$21.2K CA$30.0K

18.67%

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

$185 $185

$77.0 CA$109

139.62%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$34.14 CA$48.26

56.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$42.19 CA$59.7

66.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 $63.8

$30.81 CA$43.56

106.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$19.66 CA$27.79

2.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 $9.99

$11.47 CA$16.22

-12.90%

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

$1,187 $1,187

$506 CA$716

134.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$16.2K CA$23.0K

-26.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$57.3 CA$81.0

3.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.98 $42.98

$38.10 CA$53.9

12.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$91.9 CA$130

9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$110 CA$155

32.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$1,237 CA$1,748

-4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$977 CA$1,381

-10.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$2,180 CA$3,082

-20.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$1,608 CA$2,273

-13.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 $2,320

$5,113 CA$7,228

-54.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,325 $2,325

$3,744 CA$5,293

-37.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 $3,647

$2,957 CA$4,180

23.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

4.48

46.43%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2%

Montreal

$977 47.4% 11.9% $104

Groceries & Markets

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1%

Montreal

$351 17.1% 0.5% $1.6

Eating Out

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1%

Montreal

$290 14.1% 11.1% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2%

Montreal

$153 7.5% 50.3% $155

Clothing & Footwear

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2%

Montreal

$134 6.5% 14.8% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9%

Montreal

$54 2.6% 35.8% $30

Getting Around

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4%

Montreal

$100 4.9% 37.1% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,177 in Des Moines, IA and $1,237 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 23% 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: $81.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $351, with Des Moines, IA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

05:15 5:15 AM

06:15 6:15 AM

1 h ahead of Des Moines, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

214,133

1,762,949

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Des Moines, IA Montreal 1,700 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Des Moines, IA
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

Des Moines, IA vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montreal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Des Moines, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,177 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,237 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,171 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $2,059 in Montreal – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,059 in Montreal versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Montreal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,059 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Montreal hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA 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 Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.