Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Herat and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Herat: $390 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Herat
🇦🇫 Afghanistan
$390
/mo nomad
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $390 per month in Herat vs $2,018 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Herat $390
  • Montreal $2,018

A couple spends around $467 per month in Herat vs $3,085 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Herat $467
  • Montreal $3,085

A family of three spends $544 per month in Herat vs $4,152 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Herat $544
  • Montreal $4,152

Herat is about 81% cheaper than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Herat sits 71% below the global median, while Montreal is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Herat
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$18.82 CA$26.61
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.11 ؋591
$70.3 CA$99.4
-87.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.81 ؋247
$10.66 CA$15.06
-64.26%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.56 ؋101
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.48 ؋485
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.80 ؋51.9
$3.84 CA$5.43
-79.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ؋30.48
$1.92 CA$2.71
-75.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.54 CA$2.18
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$6.23 CA$8.81
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.10 CA$10.03
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Herat
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.59 ؋38.29
$2.31 CA$3.27
-74.46%
White Bread (500g)
-
$3.14 CA$4.44
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$3.21 CA$4.54
-
Eggs
$1.80 ؋117
$3.52 CA$4.97
-48.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$12.81 CA$18.11
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$11.46 CA$16.20
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.97 ؋387
$13.39 CA$18.92
-55.41%
Apples (1kg)
$0.60 ؋39.20
$3.14 CA$4.43
-80.89%
Banana (1kg)
$0.75 ؋48.69
$1.44 CA$2.03
-47.92%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$3.47 CA$4.91
-
Tomato (1kg)
$0.64 ؋41.37
$3.07 CA$4.34
-79.15%
Potato (1kg)
$0.30 ؋19.23
$1.90 CA$2.69
-84.21%
Onion (1kg)
$0.30 ؋19.17
$1.77 CA$2.50
-83.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$2.34 CA$3.31
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 ؋19.25
$1.55 CA$2.19
-80.65%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 ؋28.95
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13 ؋203
$11.38 CA$16.09
-72.50%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.63 CA$15.03
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.27 CA$3.21
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.82 CA$3.99
-
🚌 Getting Around
Herat
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.66 CA$3.76
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.3 CA$109
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.20 CA$4.53
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.48 CA$2.09
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$32.88 CA$46.48
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.34 CA$1.90
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$28.2K CA$39.8K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$19.6K CA$27.8K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Herat
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$305 ؋19.8K
$76.0 CA$107
301.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$33.95 CA$48.00
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$42.31 CA$59.8
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Herat
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.17 ؋983
$29.76 CA$42.07
-49.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.28 CA$28.67
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$11.15 CA$15.77
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Herat
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$507 CA$717
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$16.1K CA$22.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Herat
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$57.6 CA$81.4
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$37.58 CA$53.1
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$91.9 CA$130
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$110 CA$155
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Herat
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,260 CA$1,782
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$948 CA$1,340
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,137 CA$3,021
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,614 CA$2,281
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,960 CA$7,011
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,838 CA$5,425
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Herat
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,827 CA$3,997
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20
4.48
346.43%

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

Last update for Herat: October 10, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Herat
–
Montreal
$948
Groceries & Markets
Herat
–
Montreal
$346
Eating Out
Herat
–
Montreal
$288
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Herat
–
Montreal
$152
Clothing & Footwear
Herat
–
Montreal
$133
Getting Around
Herat
–
Montreal
$99
Sport & Entertainment
Herat
–
Montreal
$52

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Herat versus $70.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $47.00 vs $346 – making Herat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇫 Herat
🇨🇦 Montreal
🕒 Local time
16:50 4:50 PM
08:20 8:20 AM
8 h 30 min behind Herat
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
349,000
1,762,949
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to AFN – Afghanistan Afghani Converter

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 64.83 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.88 AFN (100 AFN = 1.37 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 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
  • Herat Montreal 10,090 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Herat
  • 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
Herat vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montreal cheaper than Herat?
Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 418%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $585 per month in Herat and $3,027 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Herat and in Montreal?
Groceries cost about 641% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Herat or in Montreal?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Herat and $70.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Herat or in Montreal?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Herat, where all-in costs run around $390, than in Montreal at $2,018. In Herat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Herat or Montreal more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Herat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Herat or Montreal?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Herat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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