Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Las Tablas

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $458 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Las Tablas

🇵🇦 Panama

$458

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Las Tablas

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

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $458 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Montreal $2,018
Las Tablas $458

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $680 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Montreal $3,085
Las Tablas $680

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $902 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Montreal $4,152
Las Tablas $902

Montreal costs about 341% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montreal sits 49% above the global median, while Las Tablas is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 CA$26.61

$9.99 PAB 9.99

88.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$99.4

$29.72 PAB 29.72

136.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 CA$15.06

$8.34 PAB 8.34

27.82%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.43

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

$1.92 CA$2.71

$0.99 PAB 0.99

93.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.18

$1.03 PAB 1.03

49.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.23 CA$8.81

$1.24 PAB 1.24

402.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 CA$10.03

$2.69 PAB 2.69

163.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.27

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$1.93 PAB 1.93

62.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.54

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.97

$2.11 PAB 2.11

66.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 CA$18.11

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.20

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 CA$18.92

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.43

$4.34 PAB 4.34

-27.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$1.26 PAB 1.26

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.91

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.34

$1.55 PAB 1.55

98.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.69

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.50

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.31

$1.24 PAB 1.24

88.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$1.03 PAB 1.03

50.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.38 CA$16.09

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CA$15.03

$5.68 PAB 5.68

87.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$1.31 PAB 1.31

73.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.99

$1.72 PAB 1.72

63.95%

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

$0.99 PAB 0.99

223.23%

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

$0.89 PAB 0.89

50.56%

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

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

$76.0 CA$107

$149 PAB 149

-48.99%

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

$33.95 CA$48.00

$22.86 PAB 22.86

48.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.31 CA$59.8

$37.04 PAB 37.04

14.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.76 CA$42.07

$19.94 PAB 19.94

49.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 CA$28.67

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.77

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

$507 CA$717

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.58 CA$53.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CA$1,782

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 CA$1,340

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 CA$3,021

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,281

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Las Tablas: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$948 47%

Las Tablas

–

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$346 17.2%

Las Tablas

–

Eating Out

Montreal

$288 14.3%

Las Tablas

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$152 7.5%

Las Tablas

–

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.6%

Las Tablas

–

Getting Around

Montreal

$99 4.9%

Las Tablas

–

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$52 2.6%

Las Tablas

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal versus $30.00 in Las Tablas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $103 – making Las Tablas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇵🇦 Las Tablas

🕒 Local time

07:47 7:47 AM

06:47 6:47 AM

1 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

8,939

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, 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).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Montreal Las Tablas 4,250 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

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Las Tablas

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 Las Tablas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 341% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $687 in Las Tablas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,018 in Montreal and $458 in Las Tablas. That's a gap of about 341%.

Groceries cost about 235% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Tablas, where all-in costs run around $458, than in Montreal at $2,018. In Las Tablas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Las Tablas costs $458 versus $2,018 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Las Tablas. 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.