Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Cape Girardeau, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $2,129 in Cape Girardeau, MO, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Cape Girardeau, MO
🇺🇸 United States
$2,129
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Cape Girardeau, MO

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 Cape Girardeau, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,018 in Montreal versus $2,129 in Cape Girardeau, MO.

  • Montreal $2,018
  • Cape Girardeau, MO $2,129

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,085 in Montreal versus $3,277 in Cape Girardeau, MO.

  • Montreal $3,085
  • Cape Girardeau, MO $3,277

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,152 in Montreal versus $4,424 in Cape Girardeau, MO.

  • Montreal $4,152
  • Cape Girardeau, MO $4,424

Living in Montreal costs roughly 5% less than in Cape Girardeau, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 49% above, Cape Girardeau, MO 58% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Cape Girardeau, MO
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 CA$26.61
$17.76 $17.76
5.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 CA$99.4
$58.6 $58.6
19.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 CA$15.06
$7.12 $7.12
49.72%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.43
$6.02 $6.02
-36.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.71
$2.68 $2.68
-28.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.18
$1.87 $1.87
-17.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.23 CA$8.81
$2.99 $2.99
108.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 CA$10.03
$7.71 $7.71
-7.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Cape Girardeau, MO
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 CA$3.27
$1.03 $1.03
124.27%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$2.23 $2.23
40.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.21 CA$4.54
$7.44 $7.44
-56.85%
Eggs
$3.52 CA$4.97
$3.06 $3.06
15.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 CA$18.11
$15.14 $15.14
-15.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.20
$18.63 $18.63
-38.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.39 CA$18.92
$25.29 $25.29
-47.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
$3.36 $3.36
-6.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.03
$1.93 $1.93
-25.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 CA$4.91
$11.43 $11.43
-69.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.34
$8.88 $8.88
-65.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.69
$2.14 $2.14
-11.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 CA$2.50
$6.00 $6.00
-70.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.31
$2.89 $2.89
-19.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.19
$2.47 $2.47
-37.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.38 CA$16.09
$7.34 $7.34
55.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.63 CA$15.03
$12.06 $12.06
-11.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$1.77 $1.77
28.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$8.09 $8.09
-65.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Cape Girardeau, MO
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 CA$3.76
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.3 CA$109
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 CA$4.53
-
-
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
$0.80 $0.80
67.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$30.6K $30.6K
-7.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.8K
$24.8K $24.8K
-20.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Cape Girardeau, MO
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 CA$107
$201 $201
-62.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 CA$48.00
$42.29 $42.29
-19.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.31 CA$59.8
$80.7 $80.7
-47.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Cape Girardeau, MO
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 CA$42.07
$20.39 $20.39
45.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.28 CA$28.67
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 CA$15.77
$14.98 $14.98
-25.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Cape Girardeau, MO
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 CA$717
$818 $818
-38.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K CA$22.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Cape Girardeau, MO
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$81.4
$45.40 $45.40
26.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.58 CA$53.1
$39.35 $39.35
-4.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$130
$84.4 $84.4
8.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$39.98 $39.98
174.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Cape Girardeau, MO
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 CA$1,782
$777 $777
62.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 CA$1,340
$861 $861
10.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 CA$3,021
$1,572 $1,572
35.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 CA$2,281
$1,672 $1,672
-3.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 CA$7,011
$1,444 $1,444
243.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,838 CA$5,425
$1,438 $1,438
166.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Cape Girardeau, MO
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,827 CA$3,997
$2,408 $2,408
17.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
6.45
-30.54%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cape Girardeau, MO: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$948
Cape Girardeau, MO
$861 9.2% $87
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$346
Cape Girardeau, MO
$516 49% $170
Eating Out
Montreal
$288
Cape Girardeau, MO
$284 1.3% $3.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$152
Cape Girardeau, MO
$324 113% $171
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Cape Girardeau, MO
$94 29.5% $39
Getting Around
Montreal
$99
Cape Girardeau, MO
- * 100%
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$52
Cape Girardeau, MO
$50 3.3% $1.7

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 $1,260 in Montreal and $777 in Cape Girardeau, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Montreal vs $59.0 in Cape Girardeau, MO. Groceries flip the comparison at $346 vs $516, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇺🇸 Cape Girardeau, MO
🕒 Local time
00:09 12:09 AM
23:09 11:09 PM
1 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
37,941
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Cape Girardeau, MO 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Cape Girardeau, MO

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 Cape Girardeau, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cape Girardeau, MO cheaper than Montreal?
Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in groceries and utilities. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Montreal or Cape Girardeau, MO?
Average pay runs 17% higher in Montreal, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Montreal and Cape Girardeau, MO?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,260 in Montreal versus $777 in Cape Girardeau, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Montreal and in Cape Girardeau, MO?
Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Cape Girardeau, MO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Montreal and in Cape Girardeau, MO?
All in, you'll spend $2,018 per month in Montreal versus $2,129 in Cape Girardeau, MO – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Montreal or in Cape Girardeau, MO?
At $2,018 in Montreal versus $2,129 in Cape Girardeau, MO, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Cape Girardeau, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Montreal or Cape Girardeau, MO more family-friendly?
For families, Montreal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cape Girardeau, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Montreal or Cape Girardeau, MO?
Safety-wise, Montreal and Cape Girardeau, MO are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Cape Girardeau, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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