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: $2,056 in Montreal versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,112 in Montreal versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,167 in Montreal versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Montreal is roughly 25% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 50% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.72

$12.11 MX$206

47.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$52.2 MX$887

38.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.12

$10.90 MX$185

0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$4.05 MX$68.8

-1.98%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$1.72 MX$29.13

20.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.38 MX$23.40

12.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$3.47 MX$58.9

84.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.10

$5.81 MX$98.7

25.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$1.85 MX$31.48

29.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$3.22 MX$54.7

-0.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$2.09 MX$35.42

46.89%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$2.91 MX$49.41

26.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.79

$12.49 MX$212

8.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.10

$10.11 MX$172

15.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.34

$15.89 MX$270

-12.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$3.31 MX$56.3

11.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$2.13 MX$36.12

-26.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$2.19 MX$37.20

55.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$2.45 MX$41.57

23.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.75

$2.19 MX$37.18

-9.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$1.90 MX$32.35

-4.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$1.62 MX$27.44

58.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.35 MX$22.92

2.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.91

$5.43 MX$92.1

111.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.12

$17.59 MX$299

-37.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.07 MX$35.12

9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$4.75 MX$80.6

-36.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$0.34 MX$5.77

691.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$21.58 MX$366

249.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$2.04 MX$34.65

64.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$0.58 MX$9.82

158.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.66

$5.97 MX$101

464.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.62 MX$27.44

-20.37%

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

$28.3K CA$39.2K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

23.98%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-25.15%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$65.2 MX$1,108

23.16%

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

$34.23 CA$47.40

$29.87 MX$507

14.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$36.55 MX$621

13.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.49

$61.0 MX$1,036

-52.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.54

$26.70 MX$453

-25.51%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.21

$6.85 MX$116

70.95%

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

$564 CA$781

$453 MX$7,700

24.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

26.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.4

$75.0 MX$1,273

-20.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$55.3 MX$939

-23.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$114 MX$1,929

-5.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$123 MX$2,083

-9.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,778

$1,134 MX$19.3K

13.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,371

$712 MX$12.1K

39.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,129

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-12.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,308

$1,311 MX$22.3K

27.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,321

$3,993 MX$67.8K

32.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,279

$2,095 MX$35.6K

81.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,180

$1,047 MX$17.8K

188.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

11.3

-60.97%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Montreal and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 188% 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: $72.0 in Montreal vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $345 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 25% in total monthly costs ($2,056 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 188% 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: $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,134 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 249% less than in Montreal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $564 in Montreal versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $2,056 in Montreal, a $3,000 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 25% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.