Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Duncans

For one person, living is cheaper in Duncans: $1,011 a month against $2,064 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal, Canada
Duncans, Jamaica
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,064
/mo nomad
Duncans
🇯🇲 Jamaica
$1,011
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Duncans

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

A single person spends $2,064 per month in Montreal vs $1,011 in Duncans, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,064
  • Duncans $1,011

A couple spends around $3,156 per month in Montreal vs $1,673 in Duncans, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,156
  • Duncans $1,673

A family of three spends $4,247 per month in Montreal vs $2,336 in Duncans, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,247
  • Duncans $2,336

Montreal costs about 104% more than Duncans, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Montreal sits 52% above the global median, while Duncans is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Duncans
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.98 CA$26.64
$13.60 JMD 2,144
39.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.0 CA$102
$75.7 JMD 11.9K
-3.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.88 CA$15.27
$8.14 JMD 1,284
33.66%
Cappuccino
$3.81 CA$5.35
$5.44 JMD 858
-29.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.72
$1.14 JMD 180
70.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.22
$0.71 JMD 111
122.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.37 CA$8.94
$2.25 JMD 355
183.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.26 CA$10.20
$3.21 JMD 507
126.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Duncans
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 CA$3.13
$4.15 JMD 655
-46.27%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 CA$4.45
$3.73 JMD 588
-15.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.31 CA$4.64
$1.58 JMD 249
109.49%
Eggs
$3.63 CA$5.09
$3.58 JMD 565
1.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.16 CA$18.47
$11.50 JMD 1,813
14.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.56 CA$16.22
$6.21 JMD 979
86.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.71 CA$19.25
$10.34 JMD 1,631
32.59%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 CA$4.62
$6.01 JMD 947
-45.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 CA$2.05
$3.97 JMD 625
-63.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.37 CA$4.73
$7.54 JMD 1,190
-55.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.15 CA$4.42
$3.02 JMD 476
4.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 CA$2.65
$3.32 JMD 523
-43.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.52
$2.61 JMD 411
-31.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.47 CA$3.47
$3.01 JMD 475
-17.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.22
$1.43 JMD 226
10.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.28 CA$15.84
$9.48 JMD 1,494
18.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.49 CA$14.73
$11.25 JMD 1,775
-6.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 CA$3.28
$2.78 JMD 439
-15.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 CA$4.09
$3.96 JMD 625
-26.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Duncans
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 CA$3.66
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.1 CA$111
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 CA$4.57
$1.27 JMD 200
156.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 CA$2.02
$3.20 JMD 505
-55.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.43 CA$46.92
$6.23 JMD 983
436.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 CA$1.87
$1.45 JMD 228
-8.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K CA$40.2K
$44.1K JMD 7.0M
-35.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.6K
$32.2K JMD 5.1M
-34.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Duncans
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.1 CA$112
$171 JMD 27.0K
-53.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.30 CA$48.14
$29.64 JMD 4,674
15.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.85 CA$60.1
$51.8 JMD 8,166
-17.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Duncans
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.14 CA$43.71
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.41 CA$27.24
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 CA$15.76
$13.41 JMD 2,115
-16.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Duncans
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$525 CA$737
$355 JMD 56.0K
47.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K CA$22.9K
$8,307 JMD 1.3M
96.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Duncans
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0 CA$81.4
$23.91 JMD 3,771
142.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.11 CA$53.5
$31.38 JMD 4,949
21.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$131
$78.7 JMD 12.4K
18.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$103 JMD 16.3K
6.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Duncans
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,285 CA$1,803
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$977 CA$1,371
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,271 CA$3,187
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,665 CA$2,336
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,139 CA$7,212
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,834 CA$5,381
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Duncans
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,002 CA$4,213
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
9.45
-52.59%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 25, 2026

Last update for Duncans: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$977
Duncans
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$351
Duncans
$384 9.3% $33
Eating Out
Montreal
$291
Duncans
$224 23.1% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$157
Duncans
$253 60.8% $96
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$135
Duncans
$107 20.8% $28
Getting Around
Montreal
$100
Duncans
$17 * 82.7% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$54
Duncans
$27 * 49.9% $27

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Montreal versus $76 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $384 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇯🇲 Duncans
🕒 Local time
16:18 4:18 PM
15:18 3:18 PM
1 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
5,153
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Duncans 3,030 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Duncans

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 Duncans: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Duncans cheaper than Montreal?
Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 104%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,096 per month in Montreal and $1,517 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Montreal and in Duncans?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,064 in Montreal and $1,011 in Duncans. That makes Duncans about 51% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $525 per month in Montreal and $355 in Duncans. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Montreal or in Duncans?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Duncans, where all-in costs run around $1,011, than in Montreal at $2,064. In Duncans it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Montreal or in Duncans?
It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,011 in Duncans to $2,064 in Montreal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Montreal vs other spots: cost of living compared

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