Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Herat

For one person, living is cheaper in Herat: $390 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Herat

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$390

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Herat

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

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $390 in Herat, rent included.

Montreal $2,018
Herat $390

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $467 in Herat, rent included.

Montreal $3,085
Herat $467

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $544 in Herat, rent included.

Montreal $4,152
Herat $544

Montreal costs about 418% more than Herat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montreal sits 49% above the global median, while Herat is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 CA$26.61

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$99.4

$9.11 ؋591

671.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 CA$15.06

$3.81 ؋247

179.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 ؋101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 ؋485

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.43

$0.80 ؋51.9

380.00%

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

$1.92 CA$2.71

$0.47 ؋30.48

308.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.23 CA$8.81

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 CA$10.03

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.27

$0.59 ؋38.29

291.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CA$4.44

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.54

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.97

$1.80 ؋117

95.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 CA$18.11

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.20

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 CA$18.92

$5.97 ؋387

124.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.43

$0.60 ؋39.20

423.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$0.75 ؋48.69

92.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.91

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.34

$0.64 ؋41.37

379.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.69

$0.30 ؋19.23

533.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.50

$0.30 ؋19.17

490.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$0.30 ؋19.25

416.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ؋28.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.38 CA$16.09

$3.13 ؋203

263.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CA$15.03

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.21

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.99

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

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

$28.2K CA$39.8K

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

$19.6K CA$27.8K

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

$76.0 CA$107

$305 ؋19.8K

-75.09%

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

$33.95 CA$48.00

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.31 CA$59.8

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.76 CA$42.07

$15.17 ؋983

96.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 CA$28.67

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.77

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

$507 CA$717

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.58 CA$53.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CA$1,782

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 CA$1,340

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 CA$3,021

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,281

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,960 CA$7,011

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,838 CA$5,425

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,827 CA$3,997

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

-77.60%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Herat: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$948 47%

Herat

–

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$346 17.2%

Herat

–

Eating Out

Montreal

$288 14.3%

Herat

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$152 7.5%

Herat

–

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.6%

Herat

–

Getting Around

Montreal

$99 4.9%

Herat

–

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$52 2.6%

Herat

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal versus $9.00 in Herat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $47.00 – making Herat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇦🇫 Herat

🕒 Local time

12:05 12:05 PM

20:35 8:35 PM

8 h 30 min ahead of Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

349,000

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

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).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 64.83 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.88 AFN (100 AFN = 1.37 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Montreal Herat 10,090 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

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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 Herat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 418%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $585 in Herat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 641% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal and $9.00 in Herat. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Herat, where all-in costs run around $390, than in Montreal at $2,018. In Herat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Herat – 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 Herat. 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.