Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Bakersfield, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,003 a month against $3,146 in Bakersfield, CA, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Bakersfield, CA
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Bakersfield, CA Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,003

/mo nomad

Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,146

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Bakersfield, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montreal and in Bakersfield, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,003 in Montreal versus $3,146 in Bakersfield, CA.

Montreal $2,003
Bakersfield, CA $3,146

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,048 in Montreal versus $4,361 in Bakersfield, CA.

Montreal $3,048
Bakersfield, CA $4,361

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,092 in Montreal versus $5,575 in Bakersfield, CA.

Montreal $4,092
Bakersfield, CA $5,575

Living in Montreal costs roughly 36% less than in Bakersfield, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 49% above, Bakersfield, CA 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.31 CA$27.52

$18.87 $18.87

2.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 CA$108

$64.2 $64.2

17.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 CA$15.15

$13.91 $13.91

-23.58%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.60

$6.05 $6.05

-35.04%

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

$1.92 CA$2.73

$2.67 $2.67

-28.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.11

$2.04 $2.04

-27.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 CA$8.98

$6.14 $6.14

2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 CA$10.24

$5.89 $5.89

22.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.17

$1.08 $1.08

105.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 CA$4.36

$4.16 $4.16

-26.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.19

$5.30 $5.30

-44.53%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$5.03

$3.42 $3.42

3.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 CA$18.79

$12.83 $12.83

2.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 CA$16.02

$13.26 $13.26

-15.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 CA$19.69

$15.95 $15.95

-13.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.85

$4.14 $4.14

-17.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.06

$2.07 $2.07

-30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.65

$3.96 $3.96

-17.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.10

$3.82 $3.82

-24.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.65

$2.19 $2.19

-15.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.60

$2.41 $2.41

-24.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.46

$2.13 $2.13

14.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.17

$2.36 $2.36

-35.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 CA$16.32

$9.95 $9.95

15.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 CA$14.76

$17.72 $17.72

-41.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.16

$1.90 $1.90

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$4.02

$4.76 $4.76

-40.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.58 CA$3.67

$1.75 $1.75

47.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.9 CA$110

$57.5 $57.5

33.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.64

$3.01 $3.01

7.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.11

$2.08 $2.08

-28.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.04 CA$47.09

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.94

$1.51 $1.51

-9.93%

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

$27.4K CA$39.1K

$37.4K $37.4K

-26.60%

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

$20.0K CA$28.5K

$26.3K $26.3K

-24.10%

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

$76.1 CA$109

$400 $400

-80.99%

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

$34.68 CA$49.43

$60.0 $60.0

-42.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.69 CA$60.9

$74.3 $74.3

-42.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.94 CA$41.26

$38.76 $38.76

-25.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.97

$24.77 $24.77

-17.92%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.98

$15.05 $15.05

-25.51%

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

$505 CA$720

$1,482 $1,482

-65.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 CA$83.4

$61.5 $61.5

-4.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.00 CA$54.2

$48.13 $48.13

-21.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 CA$132

$99.7 $99.7

-6.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$151

$123 $123

-14.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 CA$1,768

$1,694 $1,694

-26.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 CA$1,405

$1,567 $1,567

-37.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 CA$2,996

$2,401 $2,401

-12.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CA$2,302

$2,511 $2,511

-35.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,043 CA$7,188

$2,496 $2,496

102.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,830 CA$5,459

$2,464 $2,464

55.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,920 CA$4,163

$3,646 $3,646

-19.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.46

6.43

-30.64%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$986 47.9%

Bakersfield, CA

$1.6K 50% 59% $581

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$344 16.7%

Bakersfield, CA

$411 13.1% 19.5% $67

Eating Out

Montreal

$293 14.2%

Bakersfield, CA

$327 10.4% 11.5% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$154 7.5%

Bakersfield, CA

$535 17.1% 248% $381

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.5%

Bakersfield, CA

$150 4.8% 12.7% $17

Getting Around

Montreal

$98 4.8%

Bakersfield, CA

$78 2.5% 20.4% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$51 2.5%

Bakersfield, CA

$69 2.2% 34.1% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,240 in Montreal and $1,694 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bakersfield, CA pays 25% 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: $75.0 in Montreal vs $64.0 in Bakersfield, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $344 vs $411, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🕒 Local time

10:12 10:12 AM

07:12 7:12 AM

3 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

373,640

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Montreal Bakersfield, CA 3,950 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Bakersfield, CA

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

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

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Bakersfield, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,240 in Montreal versus $1,694 in Bakersfield, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $64.0 in Bakersfield, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,003 per month in Montreal versus $3,146 in Bakersfield, CA – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,003 in Montreal versus $3,146 in Bakersfield, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Bakersfield, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montreal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bakersfield, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Bakersfield, CA 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 57% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.