Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Murphysboro, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Murphysboro, IL: $1,701 a month against $2,003 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Montreal outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,003
/mo nomad
Murphysboro, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$1,701
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Murphysboro, IL

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 Murphysboro, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,003 per month in Montreal vs $1,701 in Murphysboro, IL, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,003
  • Murphysboro, IL $1,701

A couple spends around $3,048 per month in Montreal vs $2,583 in Murphysboro, IL, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,048
  • Murphysboro, IL $2,583

A family of three spends $4,092 per month in Montreal vs $3,466 in Murphysboro, IL, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,092
  • Murphysboro, IL $3,466

Montreal costs about 18% more than Murphysboro, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Montreal and Murphysboro, IL sit above the global median – Montreal by 49%, Murphysboro, IL by 27%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Murphysboro, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.31 CA$27.52
$17.97 $17.97
7.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.5 CA$108
$84.3 $84.3
-10.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.63 CA$15.15
$11.85 $11.85
-10.30%
Cappuccino
$3.93 CA$5.60
$6.79 $6.79
-42.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.73
$2.95 $2.95
-34.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 CA$2.11
$2.47 $2.47
-40.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.30 CA$8.98
$6.86 $6.86
-8.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19 CA$10.24
$7.78 $7.78
-7.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Murphysboro, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 CA$3.17
$0.83 $0.83
167.47%
White Bread (500g)
$3.06 CA$4.36
$1.81 $1.81
69.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.94 CA$4.19
$4.11 $4.11
-28.47%
Eggs
$3.53 CA$5.03
$4.12 $4.12
-14.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.19 CA$18.79
$13.19 $13.19
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.24 CA$16.02
$9.81 $9.81
14.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.81 CA$19.69
$15.47 $15.47
-10.73%
Apples (1kg)
$3.40 CA$4.85
$5.95 $5.95
-42.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.06
$1.53 $1.53
-5.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.26 CA$4.65
$4.09 $4.09
-20.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 CA$4.10
$4.87 $4.87
-40.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 CA$2.65
$1.09 $1.09
70.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 CA$2.60
$2.03 $2.03
-10.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.43 CA$3.46
$1.64 $1.64
48.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 CA$2.17
$0.77 $0.77
97.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.45 CA$16.32
$10.35 $10.35
10.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.36 CA$14.76
$9.99 $9.99
3.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 CA$3.16
$2.51 $2.51
-11.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$4.02
$4.21 $4.21
-33.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Murphysboro, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.58 CA$3.67
$2.05 $2.05
25.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.9 CA$110
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 CA$4.64
$5.09 $5.09
-36.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.11
$1.54 $1.54
-3.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.04 CA$47.09
$20.65 $20.65
60.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 CA$1.94
$1.01 $1.01
34.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K CA$39.1K
$38.1K $38.1K
-28.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.0K CA$28.5K
$27.8K $27.8K
-28.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Murphysboro, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.1 CA$109
$190 $190
-60.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.68 CA$49.43
$33.40 $33.40
3.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.69 CA$60.9
$39.26 $39.26
8.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Murphysboro, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.94 CA$41.26
$43.73 $43.73
-33.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.33 CA$28.97
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.21 CA$15.98
$8.57 $8.57
30.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Murphysboro, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$505 CA$720
$1,436 $1,436
-64.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.0K CA$22.8K
$30.7K $30.7K
-47.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Murphysboro, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 CA$83.4
$33.84 $33.84
72.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.00 CA$54.2
$34.81 $34.81
9.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.7 CA$132
$93.0 $93.0
-0.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 CA$151
$114 $114
-7.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Murphysboro, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,240 CA$1,768
$622 $622
99.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$986 CA$1,405
$560 $560
75.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 CA$2,996
$907 $907
131.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,615 CA$2,302
$866 $866
86.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,043 CA$7,188
$903 $903
458.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,830 CA$5,459
$984 $984
289.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Murphysboro, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,920 CA$4,163
$2,541 $2,541
14.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.46
6.55
-31.91%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Last update for Murphysboro, IL: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$986
Murphysboro, IL
$560 43.2% $426
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$344
Murphysboro, IL
$338 1.6% $5.5
Eating Out
Montreal
$293
Murphysboro, IL
$332 13.5% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$154
Murphysboro, IL
$263 71.4% $110
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Murphysboro, IL
$124 6.5% $8.6
Getting Around
Montreal
$98
Murphysboro, IL
$21 * 78.6% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$51
Murphysboro, IL
$61 18.5% $9.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,240 in Montreal versus $622 in Murphysboro, IL. 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 15% higher in Montreal, 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 $75.0 in Montreal versus $84.0 in Murphysboro, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $344 in Montreal vs $338 in Murphysboro, IL – so Murphysboro, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇺🇸 Murphysboro, IL
🕒 Local time
15:34 3:34 PM
14:34 2:34 PM
1 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
7,500
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 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 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Murphysboro, IL 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Murphysboro, IL

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 Murphysboro, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or Murphysboro, IL?
Montreal costs about 18% more than Murphysboro, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Montreal and in Murphysboro, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,005 per month in Montreal and $2,551 in Murphysboro, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montreal or Murphysboro, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Murphysboro, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Montreal and in Murphysboro, IL?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Montreal and $84.0 in Murphysboro, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Montreal or in Murphysboro, IL?
Groceries cost about 2% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Montreal or in Murphysboro, IL?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Murphysboro, IL, where all-in costs run around $1,701, than in Montreal at $2,003. In Murphysboro, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Montreal or Murphysboro, IL?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Murphysboro, IL costs $1,701 versus $2,003 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Montreal compared to Murphysboro, IL?
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.
Should I move to Montreal or to Murphysboro, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Murphysboro, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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