Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Novo Hamburgo

For one person, living is cheaper in Novo Hamburgo: $776 a month against $2,059 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
Learn more

Montreal Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Novo Hamburgo
Learn more

Novo Hamburgo Living Index

Jump to prices

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Novo Hamburgo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$776

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Novo Hamburgo

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 Novo Hamburgo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,059 per month in Montreal vs $776 in Novo Hamburgo, rent included.

Montreal $2,059
Novo Hamburgo $776

A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Montreal vs $1,241 in Novo Hamburgo, rent included.

Montreal $3,123
Novo Hamburgo $1,241

A family of three spends $4,187 per month in Montreal vs $1,706 in Novo Hamburgo, rent included.

Montreal $4,187
Novo Hamburgo $1,706

Montreal costs about 166% more than Novo Hamburgo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montreal sits 52% above the global median, while Novo Hamburgo is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.84 CA$26.63

$4.88 R$24.74

286.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 CA$104

$18.79 R$95.3

289.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.90

$6.91 R$35.05

52.53%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.61

$1.58 R$7.99

151.27%

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

$1.94 CA$2.74

$1.29 R$6.53

50.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.22

$0.89 R$4.50

76.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.42 CA$9.08

$2.47 R$12.53

159.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.19

$2.98 R$15.11

141.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.28

$0.94 R$4.75

146.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 CA$4.51

$1.69 R$8.54

88.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.50

$0.78 R$3.95

308.97%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.20

$2.16 R$10.97

70.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 CA$18.72

$9.19 R$46.58

44.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 CA$16.53

$4.56 R$23.12

156.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 CA$19.76

$7.14 R$36.22

95.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$2.39 R$12.12

31.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.10 R$5.60

31.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.78

$0.82 R$4.17

312.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.40

$1.32 R$6.70

135.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.72

$1.21 R$6.14

59.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.58

$0.98 R$4.97

86.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.34

$0.88 R$4.44

168.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$0.58 R$2.94

158.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CA$15.73

$1.78 R$9.02

524.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.98

$7.60 R$38.53

39.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.14

$1.16 R$5.88

91.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$4.01

$2.23 R$11.29

27.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.71

$0.83 R$4.20

215.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$112

$43.74 R$222

80.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.56

$1.26 R$6.40

156.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.10

$0.79 R$4.03

87.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.22 CA$45.55

$8.16 R$41.35

294.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.12 R$5.68

21.43%

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

$27.6K CA$39.1K

$24.2K R$122.9K

14.04%

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

$21.2K CA$30.0K

$33.3K R$168.9K

-36.40%

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

$77.0 CA$109

$78.2 R$397

-1.52%

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

$34.14 CA$48.26

$12.71 R$64.4

168.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.19 CA$59.7

$22.18 R$112

90.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.81 CA$43.56

$26.30 R$133

17.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 CA$27.79

$27.58 R$140

-28.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 CA$16.22

$7.38 R$37.39

55.42%

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

$506 CA$716

$281 R$1,425

80.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K CA$23.0K

$7,080 R$35.9K

129.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$81.0

$46.87 R$238

22.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 CA$53.9

$38.13 R$193

-0.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$80.3 R$407

14.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$42.13 R$214

160.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,748

$267 R$1,354

363.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,381

$190 R$965

413.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 CA$3,082

$571 R$2,892

282.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 CA$2,273

$444 R$2,249

262.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,113 CA$7,228

$1,709 R$8,661

199.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,744 CA$5,293

$1,221 R$6,191

206.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,957 CA$4,180

$510 R$2,585

479.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

-59.27%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Last update for Novo Hamburgo: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$977 47.4%

Novo Hamburgo

$190 24.6% 80.5% $786

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$351 17.1%

Novo Hamburgo

$180 23.2% 48.8% $171

Eating Out

Montreal

$290 14.1%

Novo Hamburgo

$106 13.6% 63.6% $185

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$153 7.5%

Novo Hamburgo

$113 14.6% 26.2% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$134 6.5%

Novo Hamburgo

$93 12% 30.2% $40

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.9%

Novo Hamburgo

$52 6.7% 47.9% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$54 2.6%

Novo Hamburgo

$41 5.3% 23.6% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,237 in Montreal versus $267 in Novo Hamburgo. 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 480% 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $19.00 in Novo Hamburgo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $180 – making Novo Hamburgo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇧🇷 Novo Hamburgo

🕒 Local time

00:13 12:13 AM

01:13 1:13 AM

1 h ahead of Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

227,646

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Montreal Novo Hamburgo 8,660 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Novo Hamburgo

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 Novo Hamburgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 166% more than Novo Hamburgo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,089 per month in Montreal and $1,163 in Novo Hamburgo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 95% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal and $19.00 in Novo Hamburgo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Novo Hamburgo, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Montreal at $2,059. In Novo Hamburgo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Novo Hamburgo costs $776 versus $2,059 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Novo Hamburgo. 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.