Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Jefferson City, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Jefferson City, MO: $1,858 a month against $2,059 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,059
/mo nomad
Jefferson City, MO
🇺🇸 United States
$1,858
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Jefferson City, MO

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 Jefferson City, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,059 in Montreal versus $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO.

  • Montreal $2,059
  • Jefferson City, MO $1,858

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,123 in Montreal versus $2,890 in Jefferson City, MO.

  • Montreal $3,123
  • Jefferson City, MO $2,890

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,187 in Montreal versus $3,922 in Jefferson City, MO.

  • Montreal $4,187
  • Jefferson City, MO $3,922

Living in Montreal is roughly 11% more expensive than in Jefferson City, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 52% above, Jefferson City, MO 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Jefferson City, MO
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.84 CA$26.63
$14.97 $14.97
25.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.2 CA$104
$39.52 $39.52
85.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 CA$14.90
$9.98 $9.98
5.61%
Cappuccino
$3.97 CA$5.61
$5.49 $5.49
-27.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.74
$2.04 $2.04
-4.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 CA$2.22
$2.21 $2.21
-28.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.42 CA$9.08
$5.39 $5.39
19.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.20 CA$10.19
$6.34 $6.34
13.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Jefferson City, MO
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.32 CA$3.28
$0.91 $0.91
154.95%
White Bread (500g)
$3.19 CA$4.51
$3.26 $3.26
-2.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.19 CA$4.50
$4.44 $4.44
-28.15%
Eggs
$3.68 CA$5.20
$4.26 $4.26
-13.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.24 CA$18.72
$4.39 $4.39
201.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.69 CA$16.53
$9.71 $9.71
20.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.98 CA$19.76
$13.38 $13.38
4.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$4.31 $4.31
-27.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 CA$2.05
$1.61 $1.61
-9.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.38 CA$4.78
$4.36 $4.36
-22.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.11 CA$4.40
$4.28 $4.28
-27.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 CA$2.72
$3.21 $3.21
-39.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.83 CA$2.58
$3.33 $3.33
-45.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.36 CA$3.34
$2.42 $2.42
-2.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 CA$2.12
$1.96 $1.96
-23.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.12 CA$15.73
$7.97 $7.97
39.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.60 CA$14.98
$12.74 $12.74
-16.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 CA$3.14
$1.94 $1.94
14.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 CA$4.01
$3.83 $3.83
-25.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Jefferson City, MO
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.62 CA$3.71
$3.08 $3.08
-14.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.1 CA$112
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 CA$4.56
$2.43 $2.43
32.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.10
$1.20 $1.20
23.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.22 CA$45.55
$60.8 $60.8
-47.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 CA$1.92
$0.86 $0.86
58.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K CA$39.1K
$35.7K $35.7K
-22.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.2K CA$30.0K
$25.4K $25.4K
-16.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Jefferson City, MO
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.0 CA$109
$204 $204
-62.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.14 CA$48.26
$65.7 $65.7
-48.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.19 CA$59.7
$69.8 $69.8
-39.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Jefferson City, MO
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.81 CA$43.56
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.66 CA$27.79
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.47 CA$16.22
$15.12 $15.12
-24.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Jefferson City, MO
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$506 CA$716
$1,197 $1,197
-57.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K CA$23.0K
$21.2K $21.2K
-23.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Jefferson City, MO
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.3 CA$81.0
$50.3 $50.3
13.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.10 CA$53.9
$42.76 $42.76
-10.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$130
$104 $104
-11.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$126 $126
-12.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Jefferson City, MO
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,237 CA$1,748
$887 $887
39.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$977 CA$1,381
$709 $709
37.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,180 CA$3,082
$1,774 $1,774
22.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 CA$2,273
$1,564 $1,564
2.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,113 CA$7,228
$1,537 $1,537
232.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,744 CA$5,293
$1,743 $1,743
114.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Jefferson City, MO
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,957 CA$4,180
$1,915 $1,915
54.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
6.56
-31.71%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Last update for Jefferson City, MO: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$977
Jefferson City, MO
$709 27.4% $268
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$351
Jefferson City, MO
$341 2.9% $10
Eating Out
Montreal
$290
Jefferson City, MO
$272 6.3% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$153
Jefferson City, MO
$340 122% $187
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$134
Jefferson City, MO
$145 8.6% $11
Getting Around
Montreal
$100
Jefferson City, MO
$21 * 79.3% $80
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$54
Jefferson City, MO
$30 * 43.7% $24

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 $1,237 in Montreal and $887 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 54% 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: $73.0 in Montreal vs $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $341 per month, with Jefferson City, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇺🇸 Jefferson City, MO
🕒 Local time
14:02 2:02 PM
13:02 1:02 PM
1 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
43,079
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Jefferson City, MO 1,710 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Jefferson City, MO

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 Jefferson City, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jefferson City, MO cheaper than Montreal?
Jefferson City, MO is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Montreal or Jefferson City, MO?
Average pay runs 54% higher in Montreal, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Montreal and Jefferson City, MO?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,237 in Montreal versus $887 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $506 in Montreal versus $1,197 in Jefferson City, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Montreal or in Jefferson City, MO?
Dining out is cheaper in Jefferson City, MO – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $73.0 in Montreal. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Montreal or in Jefferson City, MO?
At $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO versus $2,059 in Montreal, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Jefferson City, MO but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Jefferson City, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Montreal or Jefferson City, MO more family-friendly?
For families, Jefferson City, MO is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montreal, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Montreal or Jefferson City, MO?
Safety-wise, Montreal and Jefferson City, MO are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Jefferson City, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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