Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Iquique

For one person, living is cheaper in Iquique: $999 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Iquique
🇨🇱 Chile
$999
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Iquique

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,018 in Montreal versus $999 in Iquique.

  • Montreal $2,018
  • Iquique $999

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,085 in Montreal versus $1,590 in Iquique.

  • Montreal $3,085
  • Iquique $1,590

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,152 in Montreal versus $2,180 in Iquique.

  • Montreal $4,152
  • Iquique $2,180

Living in Montreal is roughly 102% more expensive than in Iquique, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montreal is 49% above, Iquique is 26% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Iquique
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 CA$26.61
$7.48 CLP 7,359
151.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 CA$99.4
$40.30 CLP 39.7K
74.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 CA$15.06
$7.04 CLP 6,934
51.42%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.43
$3.44 CLP 3,384
11.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.71
$1.23 CLP 1,210
56.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.18
$0.95 CLP 937
62.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.23 CA$8.81
$3.27 CLP 3,222
90.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 CA$10.03
$3.61 CLP 3,552
96.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Iquique
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 CA$3.27
$1.09 CLP 1,077
111.93%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$1.13 CLP 1,111
177.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.21 CA$4.54
$1.31 CLP 1,285
145.04%
Eggs
$3.52 CA$4.97
$3.02 CLP 2,972
16.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 CA$18.11
$10.12 CLP 9,962
26.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.20
$10.05 CLP 9,896
14.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.39 CA$18.92
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
$2.31 CLP 2,273
35.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.03
$2.15 CLP 2,121
-33.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 CA$4.91
$1.51 CLP 1,484
129.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.34
$1.06 CLP 1,040
189.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.69
$0.73 CLP 722
160.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 CA$2.50
$0.64 CLP 628
176.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.31
$1.00 CLP 981
134.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.19
$1.35 CLP 1,326
14.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.38 CA$16.09
$7.25 CLP 7,139
56.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.63 CA$15.03
$7.86 CLP 7,734
35.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 CA$3.21
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$0.84 CLP 828
235.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Iquique
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 CA$3.76
$0.69 CLP 679
285.51%
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
$1.44 CLP 1,419
-6.94%
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
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Iquique
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 CA$107
$88.6 CLP 87.2K
-14.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 CA$48.00
$15.63 CLP 15.4K
117.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.31 CA$59.8
$23.17 CLP 22.8K
82.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Iquique
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 CA$42.07
$50.7 CLP 49.9K
-41.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.28 CA$28.67
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 CA$15.77
$6.91 CLP 6,803
61.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Iquique
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 CA$717
$254 CLP 249.8K
99.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K CA$22.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Iquique
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$81.4
$30.11 CLP 29.6K
91.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.58 CA$53.1
$23.04 CLP 22.7K
63.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$130
$46.57 CLP 45.8K
97.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$58.3 CLP 57.4K
87.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Iquique
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 CA$1,782
$422 CLP 415.4K
198.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 CA$1,340
$382 CLP 375.7K
148.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 CA$3,021
$683 CLP 671.9K
213.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 CA$2,281
$781 CLP 769.3K
106.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 CA$7,011
$1,718 CLP 1.7M
188.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,838 CA$5,425
$1,926 CLP 1.9M
99.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Iquique
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,827 CA$3,997
$958 CLP 943.5K
195.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
7.5
-40.27%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Iquique: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$948
Iquique
$382 59.7% $566
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$346
Iquique
$197 * 43.2% $150
Eating Out
Montreal
$288
Iquique
$155 46.3% $133
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$152
Iquique
$127 16.3% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Iquique
$71 46.7% $62
Getting Around
Montreal
$99
Iquique
$2.8 * 97.2% $96
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$52
Iquique
$65 23.9% $12

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 $422 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 195% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Montreal vs $40.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $197 per month, with Iquique cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇨🇱 Iquique
🕒 Local time
14:12 2:12 PM
15:12 3:12 PM
1 h ahead of Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
188,003
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Iquique 7,320 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Iquique

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 Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Montreal and in Iquique?
Montreal and Iquique differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($2,018 vs $999 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Montreal or Iquique?
Average pay runs 195% higher in Montreal, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Montreal and in Iquique?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,260 in Montreal versus $422 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Montreal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Montreal or Iquique?
All in, you'll spend $2,018 per month in Montreal versus $999 in Iquique – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $999 in Iquique versus $2,018 in Montreal, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Iquique the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Montreal and Iquique?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Montreal or Iquique safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Montreal and Iquique are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Montreal or Iquique?
Expats usually find Iquique gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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