Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Iquitos

For one person, living is cheaper in Iquitos: $663 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Iquitos
🇵🇪 Peru
$663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Iquitos

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

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $663 in Iquitos, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,018
  • Iquitos $663

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $1,185 in Iquitos, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,085
  • Iquitos $1,185

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $1,707 in Iquitos, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,152
  • Iquitos $1,707

Montreal costs about 205% more than Iquitos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montreal sits 49% above the global median, while Iquitos is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Iquitos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 CA$26.61
$4.31 PEN 14.81
336.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 CA$99.4
$38.44 PEN 132
82.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 CA$15.06
$7.30 PEN 25.06
46.03%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.43
$3.57 PEN 12.26
7.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.71
$0.85 PEN 2.92
125.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.18
$0.56 PEN 1.91
175.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.23 CA$8.81
$2.82 PEN 9.69
120.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 CA$10.03
$7.41 PEN 25.45
-4.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Iquitos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 CA$3.27
$1.76 PEN 6.05
31.25%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$2.30 PEN 7.91
36.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.21 CA$4.54
-
-
Eggs
$3.52 CA$4.97
$2.56 PEN 8.80
37.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 CA$18.11
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.20
$3.28 PEN 11.26
249.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.39 CA$18.92
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.03
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 CA$4.91
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.34
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.69
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 CA$2.50
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.31
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.19
$0.89 PEN 3.07
74.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.38 CA$16.09
-
-
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
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Iquitos
Difference
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
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Iquitos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 CA$107
$34.73 PEN 119
118.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 CA$48.00
$11.34 PEN 38.95
199.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.31 CA$59.8
$8.74 PEN 30.03
384.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Iquitos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 CA$42.07
$29.05 PEN 99.8
2.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.28 CA$28.67
$8.75 PEN 30.06
131.77%
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 CA$15.77
$5.64 PEN 19.37
97.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Iquitos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 CA$717
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K CA$22.7K
$2,789 PEN 9,576
475.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Iquitos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$81.4
$87.7 PEN 301
-34.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.58 CA$53.1
$35.24 PEN 121
6.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$130
$52.9 PEN 182
73.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$26.21 PEN 90.0
318.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Iquitos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 CA$1,782
$343 PEN 1,180
266.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 CA$1,340
$265 PEN 909
257.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 CA$3,021
$882 PEN 3,029
142.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 CA$2,281
$712 PEN 2,445
126.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 CA$7,011
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,838 CA$5,425
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Iquitos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,827 CA$3,997
$573 PEN 1,968
393.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
0
-

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$948
Iquitos
–
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$346
Iquitos
–
Eating Out
Montreal
$288
Iquitos
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$152
Iquitos
–
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Iquitos
–
Getting Around
Montreal
$99
Iquitos
–
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$52
Iquitos
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Montreal versus $343 in Iquitos. 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 393% 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 $70.0 in Montreal versus $38.00 in Iquitos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $78.0 – making Iquitos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇵🇪 Iquitos
🕒 Local time
18:45 6:45 PM
17:45 5:45 PM
1 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
32,853
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, 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).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Iquitos 5,480 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Iquitos

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 Iquitos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Iquitos cheaper than Montreal?
Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 205%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $994 in Iquitos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Iquitos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Montreal and in Iquitos?
Groceries cost about 344% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Montreal or in Iquitos?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal and $38.00 in Iquitos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Montreal or in Iquitos?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iquitos, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Montreal at $2,018. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Montreal or Iquitos more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Iquitos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Montreal or Iquitos?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Iquitos. 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.

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