Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Los Angeles, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,003 a month against $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA, rent and utilities included – about $27,100 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
203

Cost of Living Index in Los Angeles, CA
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Los Angeles, CA Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,003

/mo nomad

Los Angeles, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,259

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,003 in Montreal versus $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA.

Montreal $2,003
Los Angeles, CA $4,259

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,048 in Montreal versus $6,260 in Los Angeles, CA.

Montreal $3,048
Los Angeles, CA $6,260

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,092 in Montreal versus $8,260 in Los Angeles, CA.

Montreal $4,092
Los Angeles, CA $8,260

Living in Montreal costs roughly 53% less than in Los Angeles, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 49% above, Los Angeles, CA 218% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.31 CA$27.52

$27.00 $27.00

-28.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 CA$108

$122 $122

-38.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 CA$15.15

$14.98 $14.98

-29.04%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.60

$5.84 $5.84

-32.71%

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

$1.92 CA$2.73

$3.77 $3.77

-49.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.11

$2.67 $2.67

-44.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 CA$8.98

$8.05 $8.05

-21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 CA$10.24

$9.84 $9.84

-26.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.17

$1.30 $1.30

70.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 CA$4.36

$4.84 $4.84

-36.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.19

$4.48 $4.48

-34.38%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$5.03

$6.14 $6.14

-42.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 CA$18.79

$11.32 $11.32

16.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 CA$16.02

$15.78 $15.78

-28.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 CA$19.69

$19.94 $19.94

-30.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.85

$5.24 $5.24

-35.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.06

$2.33 $2.33

-38.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.65

$4.69 $4.69

-30.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.10

$5.65 $5.65

-49.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.65

$3.28 $3.28

-43.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.60

$2.88 $2.88

-36.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.46

$2.10 $2.10

15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.17

$2.44 $2.44

-37.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 CA$16.32

$12.78 $12.78

-10.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 CA$14.76

$15.05 $15.05

-31.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.16

$2.96 $2.96

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$4.02

$2.81 $2.81

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.58 CA$3.67

$1.79 $1.79

44.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.9 CA$110

$104 $104

-26.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.64

$3.08 $3.08

5.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.11

$1.88 $1.88

-21.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.04 CA$47.09

$31.58 $31.58

4.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.94

$1.62 $1.62

-16.05%

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

$27.4K CA$39.1K

$37.7K $37.7K

-27.19%

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

$20.0K CA$28.5K

$26.3K $26.3K

-24.14%

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

$76.1 CA$109

$288 $288

-73.56%

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

$34.68 CA$49.43

$77.9 $77.9

-55.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.69 CA$60.9

$80.5 $80.5

-46.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.94 CA$41.26

$74.2 $74.2

-60.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.97

$11.90 $11.90

70.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.98

$19.79 $19.79

-43.36%

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

$505 CA$720

$1,678 $1,678

-69.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-49.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 CA$83.4

$91.3 $91.3

-35.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.00 CA$54.2

$65.7 $65.7

-42.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 CA$132

$121 $121

-23.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$151

$206 $206

-48.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 CA$1,768

$2,545 $2,545

-51.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 CA$1,405

$2,443 $2,443

-59.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 CA$2,996

$5,518 $5,518

-61.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CA$2,302

$4,275 $4,275

-62.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,043 CA$7,188

$7,211 $7,211

-30.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,830 CA$5,459

$6,930 $6,930

-44.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,920 CA$4,163

$4,173 $4,173

-30.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.46

6.86

-34.99%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$986 47.9%

Los Angeles, CA

$2.4K 57.8% 148% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$344 16.7%

Los Angeles, CA

$467 11.1% 36% $124

Eating Out

Montreal

$293 14.2%

Los Angeles, CA

$417 9.9% 42.3% $124

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$154 7.5%

Los Angeles, CA

$446 10.6% 191% $293

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.5%

Los Angeles, CA

$218 5.2% 64.1% $85

Getting Around

Montreal

$98 4.8%

Los Angeles, CA

$124 2.9% 26.3% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$51 2.5%

Los Angeles, CA

$114 2.7% 122% $62

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,240 in Montreal and $2,545 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Angeles, CA pays 43% 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: $75.0 in Montreal vs $122 in Los Angeles, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $467 per month, with Montreal cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Los Angeles, CA

🕒 Local time

04:49 4:49 AM

01:49 1:49 AM

3 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

4,030,904

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Montreal Los Angeles, CA 3,970 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Los Angeles, CA

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 Los Angeles, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 43% lower in Los Angeles, 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: $1,240 in Montreal versus $2,545 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 35% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $505 in Montreal versus $1,678 in Los Angeles, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,003 in Montreal versus $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Los Angeles, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montreal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Los Angeles, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Los Angeles, 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 113% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.