Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Guayaquil

For one person, living is cheaper in Guayaquil: $1,140 a month against $2,003 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Guayaquil
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Guayaquil Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,003

/mo nomad

Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,140

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Guayaquil

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

A single person spends $2,003 per month in Montreal vs $1,140 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Montreal $2,003
Guayaquil $1,140

A couple spends around $3,048 per month in Montreal vs $1,766 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Montreal $3,048
Guayaquil $1,766

A family of three spends $4,092 per month in Montreal vs $2,392 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Montreal $4,092
Guayaquil $2,392

Montreal costs about 76% more than Guayaquil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montreal sits 49% above the global median, while Guayaquil is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.31 CA$27.52

$3.90 $3.90

395.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 CA$108

$52.0 $52.0

45.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 CA$15.15

$9.25 $9.25

14.92%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.60

$2.80 $2.80

40.36%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.73

$0.87 $0.87

120.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.11

$0.71 $0.71

108.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 CA$8.98

$3.07 $3.07

105.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 CA$10.24

$4.20 $4.20

71.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.17

$1.16 $1.16

91.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 CA$4.36

$1.98 $1.98

54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.19

$1.43 $1.43

105.59%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$5.03

$2.04 $2.04

73.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 CA$18.79

$7.09 $7.09

86.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 CA$16.02

$5.09 $5.09

120.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 CA$19.69

$8.98 $8.98

53.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.85

$1.46 $1.46

132.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.06

$1.19 $1.19

21.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.65

$0.98 $0.98

232.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.10

$0.96 $0.96

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.65

$1.24 $1.24

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.60

$0.93 $0.93

95.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.46

$0.83 $0.83

192.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.17

$1.03 $1.03

47.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 CA$16.32

$5.86 $5.86

95.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 CA$14.76

$11.93 $11.93

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.16

$1.49 $1.49

48.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$4.02

$2.22 $2.22

27.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.58 CA$3.67

$0.33 $0.33

681.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.9 CA$110

$19.95 $19.95

285.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.64

$2.70 $2.70

20.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.11

$1.74 $1.74

-14.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.04 CA$47.09

$12.08 $12.08

173.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.94

$0.89 $0.89

52.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.4K CA$39.1K

$20.9K $20.9K

31.39%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.0K CA$28.5K

$30.9K $30.9K

-35.45%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$76.1 CA$109

$127 $127

-40.05%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$34.68 CA$49.43

$15.01 $15.01

131.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.69 CA$60.9

$25.75 $25.75

65.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.94 CA$41.26

$46.73 $46.73

-38.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.97

$26.66 $26.66

-23.74%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.98

$7.57 $7.57

48.08%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$505 CA$720

$403 $403

25.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.8K

$6,002 $6,002

166.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 CA$83.4

$64.6 $64.6

-9.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.00 CA$54.2

$40.19 $40.19

-5.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 CA$132

$125 $125

-25.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$151

$93.6 $93.6

12.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 CA$1,768

$477 $477

159.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 CA$1,405

$390 $390

152.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 CA$2,996

$795 $795

164.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CA$2,302

$739 $739

118.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,043 CA$7,188

$2,298 $2,298

119.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,830 CA$5,459

$1,445 $1,445

165.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,920 CA$4,163

$626 $626

366.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.46

10.05

-55.62%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Last update for Guayaquil: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$986 47.9%

Guayaquil

$390 34.8% 60.4% $596

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$344 16.7%

Guayaquil

$199 17.8% 42.1% $145

Eating Out

Montreal

$293 14.2%

Guayaquil

$123 11% 58.1% $170

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$154 7.5%

Guayaquil

$168 15% 9.3% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.5%

Guayaquil

$146 13% 9.6% $13

Getting Around

Montreal

$98 4.8%

Guayaquil

$33 2.9% 66.6% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$51 2.5%

Guayaquil

$62 5.5% 20.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,240 in Montreal versus $477 in Guayaquil. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 366% higher in Montreal, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Montreal versus $52.0 in Guayaquil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $199 – making Guayaquil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇪🇨 Guayaquil

🕒 Local time

10:20 10:20 AM

09:20 9:20 AM

1 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

3,500,000

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montreal Guayaquil 5,350 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
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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 Guayaquil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,005 per month in Montreal and $1,710 in Guayaquil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guayaquil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $505 per month in Montreal and $403 in Guayaquil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 73% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guayaquil, where all-in costs run around $1,140, than in Montreal at $2,003. In Guayaquil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guayaquil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Guayaquil. 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.