Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and La Libertad

For one person, living is cheaper in La Libertad: $747 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
La Libertad
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$747
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in La Libertad

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,018 in Montreal versus $747 in La Libertad.

  • Montreal $2,018
  • La Libertad $747

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,085 in Montreal versus $1,203 in La Libertad.

  • Montreal $3,085
  • La Libertad $1,203

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,152 in Montreal versus $1,659 in La Libertad.

  • Montreal $4,152
  • La Libertad $1,659

Living in Montreal is roughly 170% more expensive than in La Libertad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montreal is 49% above, La Libertad is 45% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
La Libertad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 CA$26.74
$3.68 $3.68
411.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 CA$99.9
$32.56 $32.56
115.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 CA$15.14
$6.23 $6.23
71.11%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.46
$3.12 $3.12
23.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.72
$0.87 $0.87
120.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.19
$0.67 $0.67
129.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.23 CA$8.86
$2.14 $2.14
191.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 CA$10.08
$3.48 $3.48
104.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
La Libertad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 CA$3.29
$0.89 $0.89
159.55%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CA$4.46
$1.47 $1.47
113.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.21 CA$4.56
$1.64 $1.64
95.73%
Eggs
$3.52 CA$5.00
$2.20 $2.20
60.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 CA$18.20
$6.81 $6.81
88.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.28
$4.87 $4.87
135.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.39 CA$19.02
$7.02 $7.02
90.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.45
$1.70 $1.70
84.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.04
$1.10 $1.10
30.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 CA$4.93
$1.23 $1.23
182.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.36
$0.99 $0.99
210.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.70
$1.23 $1.23
54.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 CA$2.52
$0.92 $0.92
92.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.33
$0.78 $0.78
200.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.20
$1.17 $1.17
32.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.38 CA$16.16
$4.78 $4.78
138.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.63 CA$15.10
$9.07 $9.07
17.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 CA$3.23
$1.31 $1.31
73.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$4.01
$2.83 $2.83
-0.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
La Libertad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 CA$3.78
$0.31 $0.31
758.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.3 CA$110
$19.54 $19.54
295.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 CA$4.55
$1.18 $1.18
171.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.10
$0.97 $0.97
52.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.88 CA$46.71
$10.01 $10.01
228.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 CA$1.91
$0.82 $0.82
63.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$40.0K
$21.6K $21.6K
30.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.9K
$29.4K $29.4K
-33.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
La Libertad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 CA$108
$34.17 $34.17
122.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 CA$48.24
$13.54 $13.54
150.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.31 CA$60.1
$24.99 $24.99
69.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
La Libertad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 CA$42.27
$26.70 $26.70
11.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.28 CA$28.81
$17.89 $17.89
13.36%
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 CA$15.84
$6.51 $6.51
71.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
La Libertad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 CA$720
$254 $254
99.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K CA$22.8K
$4,976 $4,976
222.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
La Libertad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$81.8
$62.7 $62.7
-8.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.58 CA$53.4
$46.00 $46.00
-18.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$131
$88.6 $88.6
3.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$156
$80.4 $80.4
36.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
La Libertad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 CA$1,791
$282 $282
347.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 CA$1,346
$191 $191
395.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 CA$3,036
$812 $812
163.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 CA$2,292
$357 $357
352.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 CA$7,046
$1,086 $1,086
356.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,838 CA$5,452
$681 $681
463.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
La Libertad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,827 CA$4,017
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
10.05
-55.42%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for La Libertad: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$948
La Libertad
$191 79.8% $756
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$346
La Libertad
$183 47.3% $164
Eating Out
Montreal
$288
La Libertad
$109 62% $178
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$152
La Libertad
$73 52.2% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
La Libertad
$125 6.4% $8.5
Getting Around
Montreal
$99
La Libertad
$27 72.8% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$52
La Libertad
$40 23.7% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,260 in Montreal and $282 in La Libertad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Montreal vs $33.00 in La Libertad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $183 per month, with La Libertad cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇪🇨 La Libertad
🕒 Local time
16:40 4:40 PM
15:40 3:40 PM
1 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
75,881
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal La Libertad 5,360 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • La Libertad

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 La Libertad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is La Libertad cheaper than Montreal?
La Libertad is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 170% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,027 in Montreal and $1,121 in La Libertad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Montreal and La Libertad?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,260 in Montreal versus $282 in La Libertad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $507 in Montreal versus $254 in La Libertad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Montreal and in La Libertad?
Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Montreal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Montreal or in La Libertad?
At $747 in La Libertad versus $2,018 in Montreal, a $1,500 budget is realistic in La Libertad but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes La Libertad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Montreal or La Libertad more family-friendly?
For families, La Libertad 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 La Libertad?
Safety-wise, Montreal and La Libertad 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 La Libertad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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