Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Cuautla

For one person, living is cheaper in Cuautla: $1,253 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
Cuautla
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,253
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Cuautla

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,018 in Montreal versus $1,253 in Cuautla.

  • Montreal $2,018
  • Cuautla $1,253

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,085 in Montreal versus $1,999 in Cuautla.

  • Montreal $3,085
  • Cuautla $1,999

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,152 in Montreal versus $2,745 in Cuautla.

  • Montreal $4,152
  • Cuautla $2,745

Living in Montreal is roughly 61% more expensive than in Cuautla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Cuautla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 CA$26.61
$11.03 MX$204
70.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 CA$99.4
$64.2 MX$1,186
9.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 CA$15.06
$9.42 MX$174
13.16%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.43
$3.71 MX$68.5
3.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.71
$1.63 MX$30.20
17.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.18
$1.04 MX$19.22
48.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.23 CA$8.81
$3.27 MX$60.5
90.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 CA$10.03
$5.54 MX$102
28.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Cuautla
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 CA$3.27
$1.92 MX$35.52
20.31%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$2.79 MX$51.6
12.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.21 CA$4.54
$1.94 MX$35.82
65.46%
Eggs
$3.52 CA$4.97
$2.75 MX$50.8
28.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 CA$18.11
$8.75 MX$162
46.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.20
$9.17 MX$169
24.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.39 CA$18.92
$13.77 MX$255
-2.76%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
$3.39 MX$62.7
-7.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.03
$1.60 MX$29.55
-10.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 CA$4.91
$2.14 MX$39.45
62.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.34
$1.94 MX$35.78
58.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.69
$1.86 MX$34.37
2.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 CA$2.50
$1.76 MX$32.51
0.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.31
$1.51 MX$27.96
54.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.19
$1.19 MX$22.07
30.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.38 CA$16.09
$4.50 MX$83.2
152.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.63 CA$15.03
$17.50 MX$323
-39.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$2.24 MX$41.32
1.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$3.95 MX$73.0
-28.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Cuautla
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 CA$3.76
$0.63 MX$11.60
322.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.3 CA$109
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 CA$4.53
$3.23 MX$59.6
-0.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.09
$2.54 MX$47.02
-41.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.88 CA$46.48
$11.09 MX$205
196.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 CA$1.90
$1.31 MX$24.22
2.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$20.8K MX$384.9K
35.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.8K
$24.0K MX$444.0K
-18.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Cuautla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 CA$107
$58.8 MX$1,087
29.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 CA$48.00
$26.84 MX$496
26.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.31 CA$59.8
$24.52 MX$453
72.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Cuautla
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 CA$42.07
$36.29 MX$671
-17.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.28 CA$28.67
$20.97 MX$387
-3.29%
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 CA$15.77
$7.36 MX$136
51.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Cuautla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 CA$717
$263 MX$4,865
92.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K CA$22.7K
$5,033 MX$93.0K
218.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Cuautla
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$81.4
$51.9 MX$959
10.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.58 CA$53.1
$45.28 MX$837
-17.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$130
$99.8 MX$1,844
-7.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$98.4 MX$1,817
11.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Cuautla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 CA$1,782
$645 MX$11.9K
95.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 CA$1,340
$434 MX$8,019
118.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 CA$3,021
$1,182 MX$21.8K
80.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 CA$2,281
$736 MX$13.6K
119.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 CA$7,011
$1,712 MX$31.6K
189.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,838 CA$5,425
$1,075 MX$19.9K
256.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Cuautla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,827 CA$3,997
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
11.99
-62.64%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cuautla: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$948
Cuautla
$434 54.2% $514
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$346
Cuautla
$308 11.2% $39
Eating Out
Montreal
$288
Cuautla
$199 30.8% $89
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$152
Cuautla
$110 27.6% $42
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Cuautla
$133 0.4% $0.6
Getting Around
Montreal
$99
Cuautla
$18 * 81.3% $80
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$52
Cuautla
$51 2% $1.1

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 $645 in Cuautla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Montreal vs $64.0 in Cuautla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $308 per month, with Cuautla cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇲🇽 Cuautla
🕒 Local time
10:17 10:17 AM
08:17 8:17 AM
2 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
157,336
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Cuautla 3,770 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Cuautla

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 Cuautla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cuautla cheaper than Montreal?
Cuautla is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,027 in Montreal and $1,880 in Cuautla 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.
What is the rent difference between Montreal and Cuautla?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,260 in Montreal versus $645 in Cuautla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $507 in Montreal versus $263 in Cuautla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Montreal or in Cuautla?
Dining out is cheaper in Cuautla – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $70.0 in Montreal. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Montreal or in Cuautla?
At $1,253 in Cuautla versus $2,018 in Montreal, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuautla but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Cuautla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Montreal or Cuautla more family-friendly?
For families, Cuautla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montreal, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Montreal or Cuautla?
Safety-wise, Montreal and Cuautla 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 Cuautla 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.

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