Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between El Paso, TX and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,003 a month against $2,130 in El Paso, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

101

Cost of Living Index in El Paso, TX
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El Paso, TX Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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El Paso, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,130

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,003

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,130 per month in El Paso, TX vs $2,003 in Montreal, rent included.

El Paso, TX $2,130
Montreal $2,003

A couple spends around $3,193 per month in El Paso, TX vs $3,048 in Montreal, rent included.

El Paso, TX $3,193
Montreal $3,048

A family of three spends $4,257 per month in El Paso, TX vs $4,092 in Montreal, rent included.

El Paso, TX $4,257
Montreal $4,092

El Paso, TX costs about 6% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both El Paso, TX and Montreal sit above the global median – El Paso, TX by 59%, Montreal by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 $18.73

$19.31 CA$27.52

-3.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.0 $77.0

$75.5 CA$108

1.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$10.63 CA$15.15

14.68%

Cappuccino

$6.19 $6.19

$3.93 CA$5.60

57.51%

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

$2.30 $2.30

$1.92 CA$2.73

19.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.48 CA$2.11

4.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$6.30 CA$8.98

-6.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.61 $6.61

$7.19 CA$10.24

-8.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$2.22 CA$3.17

-60.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.06 CA$4.36

-1.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.94 CA$4.19

-16.67%

Eggs

$3.61 $3.61

$3.53 CA$5.03

2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.94 $11.94

$13.19 CA$18.79

-9.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.76 $11.76

$11.24 CA$16.02

4.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 $13.07

$13.81 CA$19.69

-5.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.40 CA$4.85

5.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.44 CA$2.06

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.26 CA$4.65

-20.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.88 CA$4.10

23.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.86 CA$2.65

16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.82 CA$2.60

53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.43 CA$3.46

-27.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.52 CA$2.17

3.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.43 $9.43

$11.45 CA$16.32

-17.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.54 $9.54

$10.36 CA$14.76

-7.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.22 CA$3.16

-5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 $4.74

$2.82 CA$4.02

68.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.58 CA$3.67

-43.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.29 $48.29

$76.9 CA$110

-37.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 $1.69

$3.25 CA$4.64

-48.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.48 CA$2.11

-6.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.39 $27.39

$33.04 CA$47.09

-17.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.36 CA$1.94

-29.41%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$27.4K CA$39.1K

33.95%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$20.0K CA$28.5K

23.88%

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

$163 $163

$76.1 CA$109

113.49%

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

$70.4 $70.4

$34.68 CA$49.43

102.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 $68.8

$42.69 CA$60.9

61.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.42 $18.42

$28.94 CA$41.26

-36.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.56 $8.56

$20.33 CA$28.97

-57.89%

Cinema Ticket

$12.05 $12.05

$11.21 CA$15.98

7.49%

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

$579 $579

$505 CA$720

14.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,916 $6,916

$16.0K CA$22.8K

-56.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.02 $47.02

$58.5 CA$83.4

-19.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.19 $36.19

$38.00 CA$54.2

-4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$92.7 CA$132

10.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 $174

$106 CA$151

64.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 $1,155

$1,240 CA$1,768

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 $890

$986 CA$1,405

-9.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$2,102 CA$2,996

-17.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 $1,480

$1,615 CA$2,302

-8.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,781 $1,781

$5,043 CA$7,188

-64.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,746 $1,746

$3,830 CA$5,459

-54.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,336 $3,336

$2,920 CA$4,163

14.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.46

45.96%

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

Last update for El Paso, TX: October 6, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

El Paso, TX

$890 42.3%

Montreal

$986 47.9% 10.8% $96

Groceries & Markets

El Paso, TX

$329 15.6%

Montreal

$344 16.7% 4.5% $15

Eating Out

El Paso, TX

$319 15.1%

Montreal

$293 14.2% 8.1% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

El Paso, TX

$302 14.3%

Montreal

$154 7.5% 49.1% $148

Clothing & Footwear

El Paso, TX

$162 7.7%

Montreal

$133 6.5% 17.9% $29

Getting Around

El Paso, TX

$63 3%

Montreal

$98 4.8% 55.9% $35

Sport & Entertainment

El Paso, TX

$43 2%

Montreal

$51 2.5% 20.8% $8.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,155 in El Paso, TX 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 14% higher in El Paso, TX, 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 $77.0 in El Paso, TX versus $75.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $329 in El Paso, TX vs $344 in Montreal – so El Paso, TX wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 El Paso, TX

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

01:07 1:07 AM

03:07 3:07 AM

2 h ahead of El Paso, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

678,815

1,762,949

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 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 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).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

El Paso, TX Montreal 3,210 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

El Paso, TX
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

El Paso, TX vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Paso, TX costs about 6% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,195 per month in El Paso, TX 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 Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,130 in El Paso, TX and $2,003 in Montreal. That's a gap of about 6%.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,003, than in El Paso, TX at $2,130. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in El Paso, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,003 versus $2,130 in El Paso, TX. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, El Paso, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.