Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Golden, CO and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $3,466 in Golden, CO, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Golden, CO
🇺🇸 United States
$3,466
/mo nomad
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,059
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,466 per month in Golden, CO vs $2,059 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Golden, CO $3,466
  • Montreal $2,059

A couple spends around $3,184 per month in Golden, CO vs $3,123 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Golden, CO $3,184
  • Montreal $3,123

A family of three spends $2,903 per month in Golden, CO vs $4,187 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Golden, CO $2,903
  • Montreal $4,187

Golden, CO costs about 68% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Golden, CO and Montreal sit above the global median – Golden, CO by 156%, Montreal by 52%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Golden, CO
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.35 $20.35
$18.84 CA$26.63
8.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.4 $66.4
$73.2 CA$104
-9.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.87 $11.87
$10.54 CA$14.90
12.62%
Cappuccino
$5.38 $5.38
$3.97 CA$5.61
35.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 $2.70
$1.94 CA$2.74
39.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.57 CA$2.22
25.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.89 $5.89
$6.42 CA$9.08
-8.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.21 $7.21
$7.20 CA$10.19
0.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Golden, CO
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.91 $0.91
$2.32 CA$3.28
-60.78%
White Bread (500g)
$3.27 $3.27
$3.19 CA$4.51
2.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$3.19 CA$4.50
36.05%
Eggs
$3.02 $3.02
$3.68 CA$5.20
-17.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.08 $15.08
$13.24 CA$18.72
13.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.68 $13.68
$11.69 CA$16.53
17.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.39 $17.39
$13.98 CA$19.76
24.39%
Apples (1kg)
$5.48 $5.48
$3.14 CA$4.44
74.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.33 $1.33
$1.45 CA$2.05
-8.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.50 $4.50
$3.38 CA$4.78
33.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.62 $4.62
$3.11 CA$4.40
48.55%
Potato (1kg)
$2.42 $2.42
$1.93 CA$2.72
25.39%
Onion (1kg)
$2.60 $2.60
$1.83 CA$2.58
42.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.40 $2.40
$2.36 CA$3.34
1.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.50 CA$2.12
31.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.09 $10.09
$11.12 CA$15.73
-9.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.31 $19.31
$10.60 CA$14.98
82.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.32 $3.32
$2.22 CA$3.14
49.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.73 $4.73
$2.84 CA$4.01
66.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Golden, CO
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.68 $2.68
$2.62 CA$3.71
2.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$79.1 CA$112
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.80 $3.80
$3.23 CA$4.56
17.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.48 CA$2.10
-4.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.66 $24.66
$32.22 CA$45.55
-23.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.36 CA$1.92
-25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K $27.8K
$27.6K CA$39.1K
0.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K $26.9K
$21.2K CA$30.0K
26.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Golden, CO
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$200 $200
$77.0 CA$109
159.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$93.5 $93.5
$34.14 CA$48.26
173.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.9 $70.9
$42.19 CA$59.7
68.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Golden, CO
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.4 $60.4
$30.81 CA$43.56
96.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.66 CA$27.79
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.20 $15.20
$11.47 CA$16.22
32.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Golden, CO
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,520 $1,520
$506 CA$716
200.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.8K $24.8K
$16.2K CA$23.0K
52.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Golden, CO
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.7 $57.7
$57.3 CA$81.0
0.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.77 $24.77
$38.10 CA$53.9
-34.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.3 $82.3
$91.9 CA$130
-10.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$110 CA$155
-5.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Golden, CO
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,266 $2,266
$1,237 CA$1,748
83.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,119 $2,119
$977 CA$1,381
116.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,180 CA$3,082
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,608 CA$2,273
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$5,113 CA$7,228
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,744 CA$5,293
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Golden, CO
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,957 CA$4,180
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.72
4.48
50.00%

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

Last update for Golden, CO: October 17, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Golden, CO
$2.1K
Montreal
$977 53.9% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Golden, CO
$424
Montreal
$351 17.2% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Golden, CO
$364
Montreal
$153 57.9% $211
Eating Out
Golden, CO
$326
Montreal
$290 10.8% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Golden, CO
$121
Montreal
$134 10.6% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Golden, CO
$91
Montreal
$54 40.8% $37
Getting Around
Golden, CO
$22 *
Montreal
$100 363% $79

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,266 in Golden, CO versus $1,237 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Golden, CO versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $424 in Golden, CO vs $351 in Montreal – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Golden, CO
🇨🇦 Montreal
🕒 Local time
19:30 7:30 PM
21:30 9:30 PM
2 h ahead of Golden, CO
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
20,399
1,762,949
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 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
  • Golden, CO Montreal 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Golden, CO
  • 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
Golden, CO vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Golden, CO and in Montreal compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,466 in Golden, CO, $2,059 in Montreal – roughly 68% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.
What salary covers living expenses in Golden, CO compared to Montreal?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,199 per month in Golden, CO and $3,089 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Golden, CO 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 is more expensive overall: Golden, CO or Montreal?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,466 in Golden, CO and $2,059 in Montreal. That's a gap of about 68%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Golden, CO and Montreal?
Kindergarten costs $1,520 per month in Golden, CO and $506 in Montreal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing 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 $2,059, than in Golden, CO at $3,466. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Golden, CO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Golden, CO and Montreal?
It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,059 in Montreal to $3,466 in Golden, CO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Golden, CO 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 Golden, CO and Montreal?
If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Golden, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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