Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfield, CA and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $3,974 in Fairfield, CA, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

191

Cost of Living Index in Fairfield, CA
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Fairfield, CA Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Fairfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,974

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,974 in Fairfield, CA versus $2,059 in Montreal.

Fairfield, CA $3,974
Montreal $2,059

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,257 in Fairfield, CA versus $3,123 in Montreal.

Fairfield, CA $5,257
Montreal $3,123

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,539 in Fairfield, CA versus $4,187 in Montreal.

Fairfield, CA $6,539
Montreal $4,187

Living in Fairfield, CA is roughly 93% more expensive than in Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairfield, CA 193% above, Montreal 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.67 $21.67

$18.84 CA$26.63

15.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.7 $91.7

$73.2 CA$104

25.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 $11.84

$10.54 CA$14.90

12.33%

Cappuccino

$6.40 $6.40

$3.97 CA$5.61

61.21%

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

$3.29 $3.29

$1.94 CA$2.74

69.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.57 CA$2.22

28.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 $7.93

$6.42 CA$9.08

23.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 $7.04

$7.20 CA$10.19

-2.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$2.32 CA$3.28

-41.81%

White Bread (500g)

$4.49 $4.49

$3.19 CA$4.51

40.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$3.19 CA$4.50

40.75%

Eggs

$5.51 $5.51

$3.68 CA$5.20

49.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.48 $14.48

$13.24 CA$18.72

9.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$11.69 CA$16.53

26.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.57 $17.57

$13.98 CA$19.76

25.68%

Apples (1kg)

$6.13 $6.13

$3.14 CA$4.44

95.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.45 CA$2.05

70.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

$3.38 CA$4.78

81.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$3.11 CA$4.40

116.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.93 CA$2.72

105.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.83 CA$2.58

91.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.36 CA$3.34

-1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.50 CA$2.12

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.69 $11.69

$11.12 CA$15.73

5.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 $9.88

$10.60 CA$14.98

-6.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.22 CA$3.14

-1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.84 CA$4.01

-23.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.62 CA$3.71

-24.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 $87.7

$79.1 CA$112

10.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.23 CA$4.56

-9.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.48 CA$2.10

32.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.77 $28.77

$32.22 CA$45.55

-10.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.36 CA$1.92

0.74%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$27.6K CA$39.1K

0.11%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$21.2K CA$30.0K

25.42%

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

$197 $197

$77.0 CA$109

155.10%

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

$48.72 $48.72

$34.14 CA$48.26

42.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$42.19 CA$59.7

74.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$126 $126

$30.81 CA$43.56

309.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.4 $74.4

$19.66 CA$27.79

278.38%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$11.47 CA$16.22

28.25%

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

$1,265 $1,265

$506 CA$716

149.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$16.2K CA$23.0K

36.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 $50.7

$57.3 CA$81.0

-11.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.68 $36.68

$38.10 CA$53.9

-3.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$91.9 CA$130

17.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$110 CA$155

-0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,408 $2,408

$1,237 CA$1,748

94.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,434 $2,434

$977 CA$1,381

149.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,061 $3,061

$2,180 CA$3,082

40.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,001 $3,001

$1,608 CA$2,273

86.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,716 $3,716

$5,113 CA$7,228

-27.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,747 $3,747

$3,744 CA$5,293

0.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$2,957 CA$4,180

65.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

4.48

44.20%

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

Last update for Fairfield, CA: 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

Fairfield, CA

$2.4K 61.2%

Montreal

$977 47.4% 59.9% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Fairfield, CA

$459 11.6%

Montreal

$351 17.1% 23.5% $108

Eating Out

Fairfield, CA

$361 9.1%

Montreal

$290 14.1% 19.5% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairfield, CA

$319 8%

Montreal

$153 7.5% 51.9% $165

Sport & Entertainment

Fairfield, CA

$156 3.9%

Montreal

$54 2.6% 65.5% $102

Clothing & Footwear

Fairfield, CA

$137 3.5%

Montreal

$134 6.5% 2.8% $3.8

Getting Around

Fairfield, CA

$108 2.7%

Montreal

$100 4.9% 7.4% $8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,408 in Fairfield, CA and $1,237 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfield, CA pays 66% 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: $92.0 in Fairfield, CA vs $73.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $351 per month, with Montreal cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairfield, CA

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

22:57 10:57 PM

01:57 1:57 AM

3 h ahead of Fairfield, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,133

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 →

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Between locations

Fairfield, CA Montreal 4,030 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Fairfield, 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

Fairfield, CA vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal wins on cost – living expenses run 93% lower than in Fairfield, CA. 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 66% higher in Fairfield, CA, 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: $2,408 in Fairfield, CA versus $1,237 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,974 per month in Fairfield, CA versus $2,059 in Montreal – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 11% less than in Fairfield, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,059 in Montreal versus $3,974 in Fairfield, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Fairfield, CA. 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, Fairfield, CA 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 93% less than in Fairfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.