Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Highland, CA and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $2,680 in Highland, CA, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

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

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Highland, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,680

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,680 per month in Highland, CA vs $2,059 in Montreal, rent included.

Highland, CA $2,680
Montreal $2,059

A couple spends around $4,015 per month in Highland, CA vs $3,123 in Montreal, rent included.

Highland, CA $4,015
Montreal $3,123

A family of three spends $5,349 per month in Highland, CA vs $4,187 in Montreal, rent included.

Highland, CA $5,349
Montreal $4,187

Highland, CA costs about 30% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Highland, CA and Montreal sit above the global median – Highland, CA by 98%, Montreal by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.04 $25.04

$18.84 CA$26.63

32.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 $78.1

$73.2 CA$104

6.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.14 $15.14

$10.54 CA$14.90

43.64%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$3.97 CA$5.61

42.32%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.94 CA$2.74

58.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.57 CA$2.22

56.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.19 $7.19

$6.42 CA$9.08

11.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.03 $10.03

$7.20 CA$10.19

39.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.32 CA$3.28

-42.24%

White Bread (500g)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.19 CA$4.51

47.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.19 CA$4.50

42.63%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$3.68 CA$5.20

43.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 $11.57

$13.24 CA$18.72

-12.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 $9.05

$11.69 CA$16.53

-22.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$13.98 CA$19.76

39.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.14 CA$4.44

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.45 CA$2.05

53.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.38 CA$4.78

18.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$3.11 CA$4.40

75.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.93 CA$2.72

76.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.83 CA$2.58

59.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.36 CA$3.34

-17.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.50 CA$2.12

66.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.72 $11.72

$11.12 CA$15.73

5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.60 CA$14.98

39.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.22 CA$3.14

12.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.84 CA$4.01

-2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.62 CA$3.71

-22.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 $29.83

$79.1 CA$112

-62.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.23 CA$4.56

-5.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.48 CA$2.10

27.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.72 $31.72

$32.22 CA$45.55

-1.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.36 CA$1.92

14.71%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$27.6K CA$39.1K

2.72%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$21.2K CA$30.0K

23.87%

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

$221 $221

$77.0 CA$109

187.15%

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

$77.6 $77.6

$34.14 CA$48.26

127.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 $78.7

$42.19 CA$59.7

86.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.95 $40.95

$30.81 CA$43.56

32.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 CA$27.79

Cinema Ticket

$18.20 $18.20

$11.47 CA$16.22

58.67%

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

$1,162 $1,162

$506 CA$716

129.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.8K $31.8K

$16.2K CA$23.0K

95.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 $62.8

$57.3 CA$81.0

9.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.18 $47.18

$38.10 CA$53.9

23.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$91.9 CA$130

16.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$110 CA$155

-5.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

$1,237 CA$1,748

20.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 $1,219

$977 CA$1,381

24.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,331 $2,331

$2,180 CA$3,082

6.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 $2,167

$1,608 CA$2,273

34.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,106 $3,106

$5,113 CA$7,228

-39.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,390 $2,390

$3,744 CA$5,293

-36.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,957 CA$4,180

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

4.48

40.85%

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

Last update for Highland, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Highland, CA

$1.2K 45.5%

Montreal

$977 47.4% 19.9% $243

Groceries & Markets

Highland, CA

$420 15.7%

Montreal

$351 17.1% 16.4% $69

Eating Out

Highland, CA

$392 14.6%

Montreal

$290 14.1% 25.8% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Highland, CA

$377 14.1%

Montreal

$153 7.5% 59.4% $224

Clothing & Footwear

Highland, CA

$144 5.4%

Montreal

$134 6.5% 7.4% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Highland, CA

$77 2.9%

Montreal

$54 2.6% 30.5% $24

Getting Around

Highland, CA

$50 1.9%

Montreal

$100 4.9% 99% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,489 in Highland, CA 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 $78.0 in Highland, CA versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $351 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Highland, CA

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

13:24 1:24 PM

16:24 4:24 PM

3 h ahead of Highland, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

51,550

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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 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

Highland, CA Montreal 3,880 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Highland, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,680 in Highland, CA, $2,059 in Montreal – roughly 30% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,021 per month in Highland, CA and $3,089 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Highland, CA and $73.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,680 in Highland, CA and $2,059 in Montreal. That's a gap of about 30%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,059, than in Highland, CA at $2,680. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Highland, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,059 in Montreal to $2,680 in Highland, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Highland, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.