Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Irapuato

For one person, living is cheaper in Irapuato: $1,204 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Irapuato
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Irapuato

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,018 in Montreal versus $1,204 in Irapuato.

  • Montreal $2,018
  • Irapuato $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,085 in Montreal versus $1,956 in Irapuato.

  • Montreal $3,085
  • Irapuato $1,956

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,152 in Montreal versus $2,708 in Irapuato.

  • Montreal $4,152
  • Irapuato $2,708

Living in Montreal is roughly 68% more expensive than in Irapuato, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montreal is 49% above, Irapuato is 11% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Irapuato
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 CA$26.61
$10.77 MX$199
74.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 CA$99.4
$49.62 MX$917
41.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 CA$15.06
$11.05 MX$204
-3.53%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.43
$3.77 MX$69.6
1.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.71
$1.58 MX$29.13
21.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.18
$1.29 MX$23.86
19.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.23 CA$8.81
$3.25 MX$60.0
91.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 CA$10.03
$5.40 MX$99.8
31.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Irapuato
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 CA$3.27
$1.77 MX$32.75
30.51%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$3.05 MX$56.4
2.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.21 CA$4.54
$1.94 MX$35.81
65.46%
Eggs
$3.52 CA$4.97
$2.74 MX$50.7
28.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 CA$18.11
$11.82 MX$218
8.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.20
$9.29 MX$172
23.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.39 CA$18.92
$14.63 MX$270
-8.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
$3.14 MX$58.0
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.03
$2.01 MX$37.23
-28.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 CA$4.91
$2.06 MX$38.02
68.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.34
$2.24 MX$41.38
37.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.69
$2.02 MX$37.31
-5.94%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 CA$2.50
$1.79 MX$33.17
-1.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.31
$1.51 MX$27.99
54.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.19
$1.28 MX$23.64
21.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.38 CA$16.09
$5.25 MX$97.0
116.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.63 CA$15.03
$16.46 MX$304
-35.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$1.98 MX$36.51
14.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$4.47 MX$82.6
-36.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Irapuato
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 CA$3.76
$0.68 MX$12.65
291.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.3 CA$109
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 CA$4.53
$2.09 MX$38.59
53.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.09
$0.58 MX$10.65
155.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.88 CA$46.48
$5.52 MX$102
495.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 CA$1.90
$1.32 MX$24.45
1.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$20.9K MX$385.6K
34.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.8K
$24.5K MX$453.3K
-19.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Irapuato
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 CA$107
$60.7 MX$1,121
25.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 CA$48.00
$28.25 MX$522
20.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.31 CA$59.8
$33.99 MX$628
24.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Irapuato
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 CA$42.07
$34.39 MX$635
-13.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.28 CA$28.67
$20.22 MX$374
0.30%
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 CA$15.77
$6.42 MX$119
73.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Irapuato
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 CA$717
$436 MX$8,057
16.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K CA$22.7K
$4,659 MX$86.1K
244.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Irapuato
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$81.4
$70.0 MX$1,293
-17.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.58 CA$53.1
$53.1 MX$981
-29.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$130
$106 MX$1,965
-13.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$112 MX$2,075
-2.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Irapuato
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 CA$1,782
$617 MX$11.4K
104.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 CA$1,340
$347 MX$6,406
173.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 CA$3,021
$1,119 MX$20.7K
90.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 CA$2,281
$697 MX$12.9K
131.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 CA$7,011
$1,833 MX$33.9K
170.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,838 CA$5,425
$1,320 MX$24.4K
190.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Irapuato
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,827 CA$3,997
$347 MX$6,410
715.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
11.3
-60.35%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Irapuato: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$948
Irapuato
$347 63.4% $601
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$346
Irapuato
$323 6.8% $24
Eating Out
Montreal
$288
Irapuato
$203 29.5% $85
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$152
Irapuato
$123 19.3% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Irapuato
$154 15.2% $20
Getting Around
Montreal
$99
Irapuato
$7.7 * 92.2% $91
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$52
Irapuato
$47 9.3% $4.8

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 $617 in Irapuato. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 715% 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 $50.0 in Irapuato for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $323 per month, with Irapuato cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇲🇽 Irapuato
🕒 Local time
06:42 6:42 AM
04:42 4:42 AM
2 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
452,090
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

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).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Irapuato 3,750 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Irapuato

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 Irapuato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Montreal and in Irapuato?
Montreal and Irapuato differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($2,018 vs $1,204 including rent). Irapuato is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Montreal or Irapuato?
Average pay runs 715% 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 Irapuato?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,260 in Montreal versus $617 in Irapuato. 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 7% 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 Irapuato?
All in, you'll spend $2,018 per month in Montreal versus $1,204 in Irapuato – a 68% 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 $1,204 in Irapuato versus $2,018 in Montreal, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Irapuato but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Irapuato the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Montreal and Irapuato?
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 Irapuato safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Montreal and Irapuato 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 Irapuato?
Expats usually find Irapuato gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Montreal vs other spots: cost of living compared

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