Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Catamarca

For one person, living is cheaper in Catamarca: $1,250 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Catamarca
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,250
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Catamarca

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,018 in Montreal versus $1,250 in Catamarca.

  • Montreal $2,018
  • Catamarca $1,250

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,085 in Montreal versus $2,133 in Catamarca.

  • Montreal $3,085
  • Catamarca $2,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,152 in Montreal versus $3,016 in Catamarca.

  • Montreal $4,152
  • Catamarca $3,016

Living in Montreal is roughly 61% more expensive than in Catamarca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montreal is 49% above, Catamarca is 7% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Catamarca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 CA$26.81
$16.87 ARS 25.6K
11.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 CA$100
$63.8 ARS 96.7K
10.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 CA$15.18
$11.22 ARS 17.0K
-4.99%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.47
$3.86 ARS 5,853
-0.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.73
$2.09 ARS 3,166
-8.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.19
$2.00 ARS 3,035
-23.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.23 CA$8.88
$3.41 ARS 5,169
82.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 CA$10.11
$4.63 ARS 7,020
53.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Catamarca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 CA$3.30
$1.47 ARS 2,236
57.14%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CA$4.48
$2.45 ARS 3,712
28.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.21 CA$4.58
$2.04 ARS 3,087
57.35%
Eggs
$3.52 CA$5.01
$2.97 ARS 4,509
18.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 CA$18.25
$9.63 ARS 14.6K
33.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.33
$8.18 ARS 12.4K
40.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.39 CA$19.07
$11.29 ARS 17.1K
18.60%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.47
$2.09 ARS 3,165
50.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.05
$2.21 ARS 3,358
-34.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 CA$4.95
$1.43 ARS 2,165
142.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.38
$2.61 ARS 3,961
17.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.71
$1.16 ARS 1,765
63.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 CA$2.52
$0.98 ARS 1,480
80.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.34
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.21
$1.70 ARS 2,575
-8.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.38 CA$16.21
$3.79 ARS 5,747
200.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.63 CA$15.14
$4.52 ARS 6,854
135.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 CA$3.24
$1.85 ARS 2,813
22.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$4.02
$3.20 ARS 4,854
-11.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Catamarca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 CA$3.79
$0.93 ARS 1,403
186.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.3 CA$110
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 CA$4.56
$1.66 ARS 2,523
92.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.10
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.88 CA$46.83
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 CA$1.92
$1.11 ARS 1,686
20.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$40.1K
$25.9K ARS 39.2M
8.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$28.0K
$34.0K ARS 51.6M
-42.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Catamarca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 CA$108
$111 ARS 168.2K
-31.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 CA$48.36
$16.12 ARS 24.4K
110.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.31 CA$60.3
$28.95 ARS 43.9K
46.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Catamarca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 CA$42.38
$29.54 ARS 44.8K
0.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.28 CA$28.89
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 CA$15.88
$8.40 ARS 12.7K
32.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Catamarca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 CA$722
$302 ARS 458.0K
67.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K CA$22.9K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Catamarca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$82.0
$115 ARS 174.6K
-50.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.58 CA$53.5
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$131
$108 ARS 164.3K
-15.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$156
$151 ARS 229.6K
-27.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Catamarca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 CA$1,795
$591 ARS 895.7K
113.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 CA$1,350
$360 ARS 545.8K
163.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 CA$3,044
$1,085 ARS 1.6M
96.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 CA$2,298
$928 ARS 1.4M
73.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 CA$7,064
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,838 CA$5,466
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Catamarca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,827 CA$4,027
-
-
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 Catamarca: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$948
Catamarca
$360 62% $588
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$346
Catamarca
$256 * 26.1% $90
Eating Out
Montreal
$288
Catamarca
$258 10.5% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$152
Catamarca
$156 2.5% $3.8
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Catamarca
$169 * 26.4% $35
Getting Around
Montreal
$99
Catamarca
$5.4 * 94.6% $93
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$52
Catamarca
$46 11% $5.7

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 $591 in Catamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Montreal vs $64.0 in Catamarca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $256 per month, with Catamarca cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇦🇷 Catamarca
🕒 Local time
14:08 2:08 PM
15:08 3:08 PM
1 h ahead of Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
160,058
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,693 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.91 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Catamarca 8,260 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Catamarca

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 Catamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or Catamarca?
Catamarca wins on cost – living expenses run 61% lower than in Montreal. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Catamarca the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Montreal and in Catamarca?
You'd need roughly $3,027 in Montreal and $1,875 in Catamarca to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Montreal compared to Catamarca?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,260 in Montreal versus $591 in Catamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Montreal or in Catamarca?
Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Montreal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Montreal compared to Catamarca?
All in, you'll spend $2,018 per month in Montreal versus $1,250 in Catamarca – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Montreal or in Catamarca?
At $1,250 in Catamarca versus $2,018 in Montreal, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Catamarca but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Catamarca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Montreal or Catamarca?
Both work as nomad bases, but Catamarca delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,250 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Catamarca hard to pass up.
How safe is Montreal compared to Catamarca?
Safety-wise, Montreal and Catamarca 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Catamarca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Montreal vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?