Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Cafayate

For one person, living is cheaper in Cafayate: $1,244 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Cafayate
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,244
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Cafayate

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

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $1,244 in Cafayate, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,018
  • Cafayate $1,244

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,042 in Cafayate, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,085
  • Cafayate $2,042

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $2,839 in Cafayate, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,152
  • Cafayate $2,839

Montreal costs about 62% more than Cafayate, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Montreal sits 49% above the global median, while Cafayate is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Cafayate
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 CA$26.61
$16.65 ARS 25.3K
13.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 CA$99.4
$57.2 ARS 86.8K
22.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 CA$15.06
$12.70 ARS 19.3K
-16.06%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.43
$3.79 ARS 5,758
1.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.71
$2.17 ARS 3,299
-11.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.18
$1.83 ARS 2,778
-15.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.23 CA$8.81
$4.01 ARS 6,086
55.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 CA$10.03
$4.21 ARS 6,395
68.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Cafayate
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 CA$3.27
$1.25 ARS 1,894
84.80%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$2.48 ARS 3,768
26.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.21 CA$4.54
$2.03 ARS 3,076
58.13%
Eggs
$3.52 CA$4.97
$2.79 ARS 4,232
26.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 CA$18.11
$9.95 ARS 15.1K
28.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.20
$8.36 ARS 12.7K
37.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.39 CA$18.92
$11.95 ARS 18.1K
12.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
$2.54 ARS 3,862
23.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.03
$2.31 ARS 3,498
-37.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 CA$4.91
$1.75 ARS 2,655
98.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.34
$2.66 ARS 4,039
15.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.69
$1.02 ARS 1,548
86.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 CA$2.50
$0.90 ARS 1,365
96.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.31
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.19
$1.72 ARS 2,612
-9.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.38 CA$16.09
$3.79 ARS 5,754
200.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.63 CA$15.03
$5.24 ARS 7,945
102.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$2.11 ARS 3,202
7.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$3.19 ARS 4,842
-11.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Cafayate
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 CA$3.76
$1.09 ARS 1,647
144.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.3 CA$109
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 CA$4.53
$1.70 ARS 2,579
88.24%
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
$1.34 ARS 2,036
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$31.5K ARS 47.8M
-10.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.8K
$38.1K ARS 57.8M
-48.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Cafayate
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 CA$107
$107 ARS 161.9K
-28.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 CA$48.00
$19.80 ARS 30.1K
71.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.31 CA$59.8
$25.60 ARS 38.9K
65.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Cafayate
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 CA$42.07
$31.21 ARS 47.4K
-4.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.28 CA$28.67
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 CA$15.77
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
41.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Cafayate
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 CA$717
$255 ARS 387.5K
98.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K CA$22.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Cafayate
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$81.4
$96.3 ARS 146.1K
-40.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.58 CA$53.1
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$130
$121 ARS 183.1K
-23.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$120 ARS 182.4K
-8.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Cafayate
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 CA$1,782
$443 ARS 671.6K
184.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 CA$1,340
$362 ARS 549.4K
161.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 CA$3,021
$1,042 ARS 1.6M
104.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 CA$2,281
$798 ARS 1.2M
102.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 CA$7,011
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,838 CA$5,425
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Cafayate
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,827 CA$3,997
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
0
-

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cafayate: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$948
Cafayate
$362 61.8% $586
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$346
Cafayate
$264 * 23.8% $83
Eating Out
Montreal
$288
Cafayate
$261 9.2% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$152
Cafayate
$152 0.1% $0.1
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Cafayate
$152 * 13.7% $18
Getting Around
Montreal
$99
Cafayate
$6 * 93.9% $92
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$52
Cafayate
$47 9.7% $5.1

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Montreal versus $443 in Cafayate. 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 $70.0 in Montreal versus $57.0 in Cafayate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $264 – making Cafayate the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇦🇷 Cafayate
🕒 Local time
12:36 12:36 PM
13:36 1:36 PM
1 h ahead of Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
14,850
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Cafayate 8,000 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Cafayate

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 Cafayate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Montreal and in Cafayate compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,018 in Montreal, $1,244 in Cafayate – roughly 62% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Montreal compared to Cafayate?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $1,866 in Cafayate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Montreal and Cafayate?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cafayate, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal and $57.0 in Cafayate. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 31% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cafayate, where all-in costs run around $1,244, than in Montreal at $2,018. In Cafayate it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Montreal and Cafayate?
It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,244 in Cafayate to $2,018 in Montreal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Montreal or Cafayate safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Montreal and Cafayate?
If budget matters most, go with Cafayate. 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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