Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Laguna Niguel, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $4,258 in Laguna Niguel, CA, rent and utilities included – about $26,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
206

Cost of Living Index in Laguna Niguel, CA
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Laguna Niguel, CA Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Laguna Niguel, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,258

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Laguna Niguel, CA

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 Laguna Niguel, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $4,258 in Laguna Niguel, CA, rent included.

Montreal $2,018
Laguna Niguel, CA $4,258

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $5,464 in Laguna Niguel, CA, rent included.

Montreal $3,085
Laguna Niguel, CA $5,464

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $6,671 in Laguna Niguel, CA, rent included.

Montreal $4,152
Laguna Niguel, CA $6,671

Montreal is about 53% cheaper than Laguna Niguel, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Laguna Niguel, CA sit above the global median – Montreal by 49%, Laguna Niguel, CA by 215%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 CA$26.61

$24.71 $24.71

-23.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$99.4

$104 $104

-32.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 CA$15.06

$13.65 $13.65

-21.90%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.43

$5.80 $5.80

-33.79%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.71

$3.02 $3.02

-36.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.18

$1.97 $1.97

-21.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.23 CA$8.81

$7.82 $7.82

-20.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 CA$10.03

$10.12 $10.12

-29.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.27

$1.30 $1.30

77.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$4.67 $4.67

-32.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.54

$4.75 $4.75

-32.42%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.97

$4.95 $4.95

-28.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 CA$18.11

$12.65 $12.65

1.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.20

$15.91 $15.91

-27.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 CA$18.92

$19.72 $19.72

-32.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.43

$5.64 $5.64

-44.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$1.72 $1.72

-16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.91

$4.69 $4.69

-26.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.34

$6.61 $6.61

-53.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.69

$3.37 $3.37

-43.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.50

$2.84 $2.84

-37.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.31

$2.38 $2.38

-1.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$2.20 $2.20

-29.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.38 CA$16.09

$11.75 $11.75

-3.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CA$15.03

$15.12 $15.12

-29.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$1.75 $1.75

29.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.99

$2.68 $2.68

5.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 CA$3.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.3 CA$109

$64.1 $64.1

20.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.53

$3.02 $3.02

5.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.81 $1.81

-18.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.88 CA$46.48

$32.31 $32.31

1.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.90

$1.54 $1.54

-12.99%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.2K CA$39.8K

$37.6K $37.6K

-25.12%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.6K CA$27.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

-23.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$76.0 CA$107

$279 $279

-72.82%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$33.95 CA$48.00

$70.7 $70.7

-51.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.31 CA$59.8

$79.8 $79.8

-46.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.76 CA$42.07

$94.3 $94.3

-68.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 CA$28.67

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.77

$16.35 $16.35

-31.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$507 CA$717

$1,656 $1,656

-69.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.7K

$32.3K $32.3K

-50.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.4

$74.3 $74.3

-22.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.58 CA$53.1

$40.82 $40.82

-7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$119 $119

-22.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$172 $172

-36.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CA$1,782

$2,927 $2,927

-56.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 CA$1,340

$2,593 $2,593

-63.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 CA$3,021

$4,575 $4,575

-53.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,281

$2,988 $2,988

-45.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,960 CA$7,011

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,838 CA$5,425

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,827 CA$3,997

$5,014 $5,014

-43.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.64

-32.53%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Laguna Niguel, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$948 47%

Laguna Niguel, CA

$2.6K 60.9% 174% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$346 17.2%

Laguna Niguel, CA

$462 10.8% 33.2% $115

Eating Out

Montreal

$288 14.3%

Laguna Niguel, CA

$388 9.1% 34.6% $100

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$152 7.5%

Laguna Niguel, CA

$430 10.1% 182% $278

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.6%

Laguna Niguel, CA

$182 4.3% 36.6% $49

Getting Around

Montreal

$99 4.9%

Laguna Niguel, CA

$76 * 1.8% 22.7% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$52 2.6%

Laguna Niguel, CA

$127 3% 144% $75

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Montreal versus $2,927 in Laguna Niguel, CA. 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 77% higher in Laguna Niguel, CA, 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 $104 in Laguna Niguel, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $462 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Laguna Niguel, CA

🕒 Local time

20:26 8:26 PM

17:26 5:26 PM

3 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

64,771

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Montreal Laguna Niguel, CA 3,960 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Laguna Niguel, CA

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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 Laguna Niguel, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,018 in Montreal, $4,258 in Laguna Niguel, CA – roughly 111% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $6,387 in Laguna Niguel, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,018 in Montreal and $4,258 in Laguna Niguel, CA. That's a gap of about 111%.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,018, than in Laguna Niguel, CA at $4,258. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Laguna Niguel, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Laguna Niguel, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,018 in Montreal to $4,258 in Laguna Niguel, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Laguna Niguel, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.