Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Boulder, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $3,518 in Boulder, CO, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
Learn more

Montreal Living Index
169

Cost of Living Index in Boulder, CO
Learn more

Boulder, CO Living Index

Jump to prices

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,518

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Boulder, CO

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

A single person spends $2,059 per month in Montreal vs $3,518 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Montreal $2,059
Boulder, CO $3,518

A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Montreal vs $5,103 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Montreal $3,123
Boulder, CO $5,103

A family of three spends $4,187 per month in Montreal vs $6,689 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Montreal $4,187
Boulder, CO $6,689

Montreal is about 41% cheaper than Boulder, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Boulder, CO sit above the global median – Montreal by 52%, Boulder, CO by 160%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.84 CA$26.63

$19.81 $19.81

-4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 CA$104

$79.3 $79.3

-7.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.90

$15.07 $15.07

-30.06%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.61

$5.56 $5.56

-28.60%

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

$1.94 CA$2.74

$3.70 $3.70

-47.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.22

$2.88 $2.88

-45.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.42 CA$9.08

$7.09 $7.09

-9.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.19

$8.84 $8.84

-18.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.28

$1.18 $1.18

96.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 CA$4.51

$5.55 $5.55

-42.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.50

$6.50 $6.50

-50.92%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.20

$5.53 $5.53

-33.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 CA$18.72

$11.85 $11.85

11.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 CA$16.53

$10.91 $10.91

7.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 CA$19.76

$17.35 $17.35

-19.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$5.93 $5.93

-47.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.46 $1.46

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.78

$6.35 $6.35

-46.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.40

$6.09 $6.09

-48.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.72

$3.92 $3.92

-50.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.58

$3.84 $3.84

-52.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.34

$3.35 $3.35

-29.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$2.65 $2.65

-43.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CA$15.73

$10.24 $10.24

8.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.98

$17.23 $17.23

-38.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.14

$1.86 $1.86

19.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$4.01

$4.94 $4.94

-42.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.71

$2.82 $2.82

-7.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$112

$152 $152

-47.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.56

$2.43 $2.43

32.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.10

$1.38 $1.38

7.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.22 CA$45.55

$24.21 $24.21

33.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.08 $1.08

25.93%

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

$27.6K CA$39.1K

$27.5K $27.5K

0.62%

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

$21.2K CA$30.0K

$26.9K $26.9K

-21.19%

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

$77.0 CA$109

$279 $279

-72.39%

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

$34.14 CA$48.26

$72.1 $72.1

-52.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.19 CA$59.7

$74.2 $74.2

-43.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.81 CA$43.56

$83.1 $83.1

-62.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 CA$27.79

$20.21 $20.21

-2.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 CA$16.22

$16.72 $16.72

-31.40%

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

$506 CA$716

$1,633 $1,633

-69.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K CA$23.0K

$31.2K $31.2K

-48.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$81.0

$69.2 $69.2

-17.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 CA$53.9

$48.21 $48.21

-20.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$92.2 $92.2

-0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$144 $144

-23.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,748

$2,374 $2,374

-47.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,381

$1,825 $1,825

-46.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 CA$3,082

$4,307 $4,307

-49.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 CA$2,273

$3,069 $3,069

-47.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,113 CA$7,228

$4,420 $4,420

15.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,744 CA$5,293

$4,495 $4,495

-16.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,957 CA$4,180

$5,629 $5,629

-47.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.55

-31.60%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$977 47.4%

Boulder, CO

$1.8K 51.9% 86.8% $848

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$351 17.1%

Boulder, CO

$470 13.4% 33.9% $119

Eating Out

Montreal

$290 14.1%

Boulder, CO

$350 10% 20.5% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$153 7.5%

Boulder, CO

$425 12.1% 177% $272

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$134 6.5%

Boulder, CO

$159 4.5% 18.9% $25

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.9%

Boulder, CO

$173 4.9% 72.1% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$54 2.6%

Boulder, CO

$117 3.3% 117% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,237 in Montreal versus $2,374 in Boulder, CO. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 90% higher in Boulder, CO, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal versus $79.0 in Boulder, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $470 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Boulder, CO

🕒 Local time

16:20 4:20 PM

14:20 2:20 PM

2 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

106,803

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Montreal Boulder, CO 2,670 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Boulder, CO

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 Boulder, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Boulder, CO is pricier by about 71%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,089 per month in Montreal and $5,277 in Boulder, CO. 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.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Boulder, CO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal and $79.0 in Boulder, CO. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,059, than in Boulder, CO at $3,518. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boulder, CO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montreal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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