Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,085 in Montreal versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,174 in Montreal versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,262 in Montreal versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Montreal is roughly 43% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 56% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.16

$13.07 MX$229

26.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$53.8 MX$943

37.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.34

$9.68 MX$170

13.02%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.39

$3.74 MX$65.6

2.67%

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

$2.14 CA$2.99

$1.62 MX$28.34

32.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.16 MX$20.37

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.60

$3.23 MX$56.6

89.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.44

$4.74 MX$83.1

41.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.30

$1.65 MX$28.89

42.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.68

$2.75 MX$48.30

21.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

$1.87 MX$32.87

100.00%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.76

$2.50 MX$43.86

35.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.85

$10.20 MX$179

59.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.56

$8.25 MX$145

43.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$21.93

$11.82 MX$207

32.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.18

$3.01 MX$52.8

22.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.81 MX$31.77

-6.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.76

$2.00 MX$35.07

105.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.18

$2.00 MX$35.00

120.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.91

$2.08 MX$36.56

34.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$2.27 MX$39.85

16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$1.46 MX$25.55

56.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$1.08 MX$18.88

64.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.47

$4.35 MX$76.3

202.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.92

$16.99 MX$298

-37.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.19

$1.73 MX$30.40

72.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.82

$3.58 MX$62.7

-3.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.94

$0.39 MX$6.79

620.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$18.69 MX$328

289.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.93

$1.33 MX$23.25

164.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$0.28 MX$4.91

417.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.08

$5.25 MX$92.1

553.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.34 MX$23.44

-8.96%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

30.10%

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

$22.1K CA$31.0K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-7.12%

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

$76.5 CA$107

$40.69 MX$714

88.01%

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

$35.60 CA$49.91

$26.87 MX$471

32.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.2

$30.51 MX$535

40.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$60.8

$52.8 MX$926

-17.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.60

$26.65 MX$467

-36.85%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.55

$6.51 MX$114

70.35%

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

$625 CA$876

$428 MX$7,508

45.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,266

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-43.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.5

$57.3 MX$1,004

10.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.4

$45.50 MX$798

-2.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$144

$104 MX$1,825

-1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$108 MX$1,891

9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,692

$1,003 MX$17.6K

20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,353

$623 MX$10.9K

54.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,848

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-3.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,211

$1,218 MX$21.4K

29.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,129

$3,885 MX$68.1K

30.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,304

$2,033 MX$35.7K

86.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,051

$1,038 MX$18.2K

178.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

11.34

-55.82%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,207 in Montreal and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 178% 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: $74.0 in Montreal vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $292 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Mexico City differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($2,085 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 178% higher in Montreal, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 290% less than in Montreal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $625 in Montreal versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,085 in Montreal, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.