Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Barcelona, Venezuela

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $635 a month against $2,067 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal, Canada
Barcelona, Venezuela
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,067
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇻🇪 Venezuela
$635
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Barcelona

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 Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,067 in Montreal versus $635 in Barcelona.

  • Montreal $2,067
  • Barcelona $635

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,179 in Montreal versus $1,067 in Barcelona.

  • Montreal $3,179
  • Barcelona $1,067

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,291 in Montreal versus $1,499 in Barcelona.

  • Montreal $4,291
  • Barcelona $1,499

Living in Montreal is roughly 225% more expensive than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montreal is 53% above, Barcelona is 53% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.89 CA$26.57
$9.35 VES 8,344
102.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.6 CA$102
$27.91 VES 24.9K
159.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.79 CA$15.18
$9.15 VES 8,167
17.92%
Cappuccino
$3.98 CA$5.60
$2.53 VES 2,257
57.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 CA$2.84
$1.01 VES 902
100.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 CA$2.29
$0.73 VES 654
123.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.32 CA$8.89
$0.86 VES 769
634.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.06 CA$9.93
$1.79 VES 1,594
294.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.33 CA$3.28
$2.02 VES 1,801
15.35%
White Bread (500g)
$3.25 CA$4.57
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 CA$4.59
$1.36 VES 1,216
139.71%
Eggs
$3.48 CA$4.89
$5.99 VES 5,343
-41.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.73 CA$19.31
$6.93 VES 6,183
98.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.48 CA$16.14
$7.90 VES 7,054
45.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.26 CA$20.05
$7.02 VES 6,262
103.13%
Apples (1kg)
$3.52 CA$4.95
$1.94 VES 1,733
81.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 CA$2.05
$1.53 VES 1,362
-4.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.41 CA$4.80
$1.21 VES 1,081
181.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.20 CA$4.50
$2.45 VES 2,183
30.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 CA$2.72
$1.03 VES 919
88.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.78 CA$2.50
$0.97 VES 868
83.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.52 CA$3.54
$1.47 VES 1,310
71.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.22
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.51 CA$16.18
$2.81 VES 2,512
309.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.57 CA$14.87
$10.11 VES 9,024
4.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 CA$3.30
$0.78 VES 693
201.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 CA$4.07
$2.05 VES 1,833
41.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 CA$3.68
$0.22 VES 195
1086.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.5 CA$110
$25.35 VES 22.6K
209.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 CA$4.46
$10.02 VES 8,948
-68.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 CA$2.10
$1.11 VES 992
34.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.49 CA$47.10
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 CA$1.92
$0.52 VES 466
161.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K CA$39.4K
$22.4K VES 20.0M
25.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.7K
$39.4K VES 35.2M
-46.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.6 CA$109
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.63 CA$50.1
$14.78 VES 13.2K
141.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.73 CA$61.5
$30.26 VES 27.0K
44.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.07 CA$42.29
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.97 CA$28.08
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.27 CA$15.85
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$522 CA$734
$57.7 VES 51.5K
804.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.8K CA$25.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.0 CA$82.9
$70.8 VES 63.2K
-16.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.01 CA$54.9
$35.47 VES 31.7K
9.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.8 CA$140
$101 VES 90.0K
-1.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$154
$69.3 VES 61.9K
58.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,298 CA$1,826
$200 VES 178.9K
548.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$970 CA$1,365
$70.9 VES 63.2K
1269.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,323 CA$3,267
$299 VES 267.1K
676.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,689 CA$2,376
$150 VES 134.1K
1024.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,004 CA$7,037
$411 VES 367.1K
1116.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,736 CA$5,255
$239 VES 213.0K
1466.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,943 CA$4,139
$260 VES 232.1K
1031.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
23.12
-80.49%

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

Last update for Montreal: November 3, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$970
Barcelona
$71 92.7% $900
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$357
Barcelona
$206 * 42.4% $151
Eating Out
Montreal
$292
Barcelona
$147 49.4% $144
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$157
Barcelona
$45 * 71.3% $112
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$138
Barcelona
$124 10.1% $14
Getting Around
Montreal
$100
Barcelona
$42 58% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$53
Barcelona
- * 100%

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,298 in Montreal and $200 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays about 11 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $73 in Montreal vs $28 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $206 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇻🇪 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
13:36 1:36 PM
14:36 2:36 PM
1 h ahead of Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
560,122
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VES, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 CAD (1 CAD = 0.633 EUR).

Venezuelan Bolívar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 893 VES (1,000 VES = 1.12 USD). 1 EUR = 1,003 VES (10,000 VES = 9.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Barcelona 4,020 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Barcelona

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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or Barcelona?
Barcelona wins on cost – living expenses run 69% lower than in Montreal. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Barcelona the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Montreal or in Barcelona?
Average pay in Montreal is about 11 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Montreal compared to Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,298 in Montreal versus $200 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Montreal and in Barcelona?
Dining out is cheaper in Barcelona – a meal for two runs $28 versus $73 in Montreal. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Montreal compared to Barcelona?
All in, you’ll spend $2,067 per month in Montreal versus $635 in Barcelona – Barcelona is about 69% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $800/month in Montreal or in Barcelona?
At $635 in Barcelona versus $2,067 in Montreal, a $800 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Montreal or Barcelona?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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