Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Monterey, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $3,616 in Monterey, CA, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 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
173

Cost of Living Index in Monterey, CA
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Monterey, CA Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Monterey, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,616

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,059 per month in Montreal vs $3,616 in Monterey, CA, rent included.

Montreal $2,059
Monterey, CA $3,616

A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Montreal vs $5,349 in Monterey, CA, rent included.

Montreal $3,123
Monterey, CA $5,349

A family of three spends $4,187 per month in Montreal vs $7,082 in Monterey, CA, rent included.

Montreal $4,187
Monterey, CA $7,082

Montreal is about 43% cheaper than Monterey, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Montreal and Monterey, CA sit above the global median – Montreal by 52%, Monterey, CA by 167%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.84 CA$26.63

$20.27 $20.27

-7.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 CA$104

$78.6 $78.6

-6.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.90

$12.10 $12.10

-12.89%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.61

$5.22 $5.22

-23.95%

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

$1.94 CA$2.74

$3.20 $3.20

-39.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.22

$1.62 $1.62

-3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.42 CA$9.08

$5.45 $5.45

17.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.19

$6.06 $6.06

18.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.28

$1.65 $1.65

40.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 CA$4.51

$3.17 $3.17

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.50

$2.63 $2.63

21.29%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.20

$4.57 $4.57

-19.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 CA$18.72

$9.57 $9.57

38.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 CA$16.53

$13.38 $13.38

-12.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 CA$19.76

$6.12 $6.12

128.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$3.66 $3.66

-14.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.20 $1.20

20.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.78

$3.22 $3.22

4.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.40

$4.00 $4.00

-22.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.72

$2.75 $2.75

-29.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.58

$1.96 $1.96

-6.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.34

$1.74 $1.74

35.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$1.25 $1.25

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CA$15.73

$11.59 $11.59

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.98

$17.31 $17.31

-38.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.14

$2.73 $2.73

-18.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$4.01

$1.85 $1.85

53.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.71

$2.02 $2.02

29.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$112

$52.9 $52.9

49.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.56

$1.58 $1.58

104.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.10

$0.95 $0.95

55.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.22 CA$45.55

$35.04 $35.04

-8.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.53 $1.53

-11.11%

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

$27.6K CA$39.1K

$28.9K $28.9K

-4.30%

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

$21.2K CA$30.0K

$25.8K $25.8K

-17.83%

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

$77.0 CA$109

$238 $238

-67.64%

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

$34.14 CA$48.26

$75.1 $75.1

-54.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.19 CA$59.7

$71.7 $71.7

-41.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.81 CA$43.56

$84.1 $84.1

-63.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 CA$27.79

$10.63 $10.63

84.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 CA$16.22

$12.75 $12.75

-10.04%

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

$506 CA$716

$555 $555

-8.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K CA$23.0K

$12.5K $12.5K

29.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$81.0

$76.8 $76.8

-25.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 CA$53.9

$90.2 $90.2

-57.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$129 $129

-28.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$135 $135

-18.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,748

$2,490 $2,490

-50.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,381

$2,205 $2,205

-55.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 CA$3,082

$4,056 $4,056

-46.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 CA$2,273

$4,027 $4,027

-60.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,113 CA$7,228

$7,909 $7,909

-35.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,744 CA$5,293

$5,838 $5,838

-35.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,957 CA$4,180

$4,771 $4,771

-38.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.62

-32.33%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Last update for Monterey, CA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$977 47.4%

Monterey, CA

$2.2K 61% 126% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$351 17.1%

Monterey, CA

$335 9.3% 4.4% $16

Eating Out

Montreal

$290 14.1%

Monterey, CA

$320 8.8% 10.1% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$153 7.5%

Monterey, CA

$385 10.6% 151% $232

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$134 6.5%

Monterey, CA

$194 5.4% 44.9% $60

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.9%

Monterey, CA

$67 1.9% 32.9% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$54 2.6%

Monterey, CA

$110 3% 104% $56

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,237 in Montreal versus $2,490 in Monterey, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 61% higher in Monterey, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal versus $79.0 in Monterey, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Montreal vs $335 in Monterey, CA – so Monterey, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Monterey, CA

🕒 Local time

18:04 6:04 PM

15:04 3:04 PM

3 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

28,803

💱 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 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montreal Monterey, CA 4,110 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Monterey, 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 Monterey, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Monterey, CA is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,089 per month in Montreal and $5,424 in Monterey, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,059 in Montreal and $3,616 in Monterey, CA. That's a gap of about 76%.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,059, than in Monterey, CA at $3,616. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterey, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montreal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Monterey, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.