Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Long Beach, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $3,185 in Long Beach, CA, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 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
155

Cost of Living Index in Long Beach, CA
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Long Beach, CA Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Long Beach, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Long Beach, 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 Long Beach, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,059 in Montreal versus $3,185 in Long Beach, CA.

Montreal $2,059
Long Beach, CA $3,185

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,123 in Montreal versus $4,857 in Long Beach, CA.

Montreal $3,123
Long Beach, CA $4,857

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,187 in Montreal versus $6,529 in Long Beach, CA.

Montreal $4,187
Long Beach, CA $6,529

Living in Montreal costs roughly 35% less than in Long Beach, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 52% above, Long Beach, CA 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.84 CA$26.63

$19.67 $19.67

-4.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 CA$104

$78.7 $78.7

-6.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.90

$14.48 $14.48

-27.21%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.61

$6.17 $6.17

-35.66%

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

$1.94 CA$2.74

$3.27 $3.27

-40.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.22

$2.48 $2.48

-36.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.42 CA$9.08

$7.46 $7.46

-13.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.19

$9.70 $9.70

-25.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.28

$1.05 $1.05

120.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 CA$4.51

$4.13 $4.13

-22.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.50

$4.65 $4.65

-31.40%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.20

$4.63 $4.63

-20.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 CA$18.72

$13.11 $13.11

0.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 CA$16.53

$14.28 $14.28

-18.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 CA$19.76

$15.21 $15.21

-8.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$4.74 $4.74

-33.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.67 $1.67

-13.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.78

$4.80 $4.80

-29.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.40

$4.84 $4.84

-35.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.72

$3.46 $3.46

-44.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.58

$2.24 $2.24

-18.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.34

$2.04 $2.04

15.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$1.83 $1.83

-18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CA$15.73

$11.56 $11.56

-3.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.98

$15.06 $15.06

-29.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.14

$1.93 $1.93

15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$4.01

$3.29 $3.29

-13.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.71

$1.76 $1.76

48.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$112

$68.9 $68.9

14.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.56

$2.92 $2.92

10.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.10

$2.08 $2.08

-28.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.22 CA$45.55

$28.25 $28.25

14.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.54 $1.54

-11.69%

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

$27.6K CA$39.1K

$28.5K $28.5K

-3.06%

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

$21.2K CA$30.0K

$26.0K $26.0K

-18.39%

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

$77.0 CA$109

$169 $169

-54.33%

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

$34.14 CA$48.26

$66.3 $66.3

-48.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.19 CA$59.7

$60.3 $60.3

-30.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.81 CA$43.56

$39.49 $39.49

-21.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 CA$27.79

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 CA$16.22

$14.84 $14.84

-22.71%

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

$506 CA$716

$1,912 $1,912

-73.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K CA$23.0K

$36.2K $36.2K

-55.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$81.0

$58.5 $58.5

-2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 CA$53.9

$40.11 $40.11

-5.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$93.9 $93.9

-2.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$142 $142

-22.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,748

$2,057 $2,057

-39.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,381

$1,813 $1,813

-46.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 CA$3,082

$3,672 $3,672

-40.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 CA$2,273

$3,462 $3,462

-53.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,113 CA$7,228

$7,440 $7,440

-31.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,744 CA$5,293

$6,677 $6,677

-43.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,957 CA$4,180

$4,419 $4,419

-33.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.39

-29.89%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Last update for Long Beach, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$977 47.4%

Long Beach, CA

$1.8K 56.9% 85.6% $836

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$351 17.1%

Long Beach, CA

$414 13% 17.9% $63

Eating Out

Montreal

$290 14.1%

Long Beach, CA

$355 11.1% 22.1% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$153 7.5%

Long Beach, CA

$295 9.3% 92.5% $142

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$134 6.5%

Long Beach, CA

$151 4.7% 12.7% $17

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.9%

Long Beach, CA

$89 2.8% 11% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$54 2.6%

Long Beach, CA

$69 2.2% 28.7% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,237 in Montreal and $2,057 in Long Beach, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 49% 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 $79.0 in Long Beach, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $414 per month, with Montreal cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Long Beach, CA

🕒 Local time

20:23 8:23 PM

17:23 5:23 PM

3 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

469,450

💱 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 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Montreal Long Beach, CA 3,980 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
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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 Long Beach, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Long Beach, CA differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($2,059 vs $3,185 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Long Beach, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,237 in Montreal versus $2,057 in Long Beach, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $79.0 in Long Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,059 per month in Montreal versus $3,185 in Long Beach, CA – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,059 in Montreal versus $3,185 in Long Beach, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Long Beach, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Long Beach, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.