Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Pasadena, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $4,276 in Pasadena, CA, rent and utilities included – about $27,100 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
207

Cost of Living Index in Pasadena, CA
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Pasadena, CA Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,276

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $4,276 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Montreal $2,018
Pasadena, CA $4,276

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $6,133 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Montreal $3,085
Pasadena, CA $6,133

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $7,990 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Montreal $4,152
Pasadena, CA $7,990

Montreal is about 53% cheaper than Pasadena, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Pasadena, CA sit above the global median – Montreal by 49%, Pasadena, CA by 217%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 CA$26.61

$17.89 $17.89

5.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$99.4

$76.4 $76.4

-7.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 CA$15.06

$10.11 $10.11

5.44%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.43

$4.61 $4.61

-16.70%

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

$1.92 CA$2.71

$2.82 $2.82

-31.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.18

$1.59 $1.59

-3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.23 CA$8.81

$4.95 $4.95

25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 CA$10.03

$5.71 $5.71

24.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.27

$1.39 $1.39

66.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$4.00 $4.00

-21.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.54

$2.93 $2.93

9.56%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.97

$5.22 $5.22

-32.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 CA$18.11

$13.74 $13.74

-6.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.20

$13.94 $13.94

-17.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 CA$18.92

$12.58 $12.58

6.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.43

$4.60 $4.60

-31.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$2.25 $2.25

-36.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.91

$4.54 $4.54

-23.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.34

$6.13 $6.13

-49.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.69

$4.64 $4.64

-59.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.50

$2.39 $2.39

-25.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.31

$1.86 $1.86

25.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$2.22 $2.22

-30.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.38 CA$16.09

$11.64 $11.64

-2.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CA$15.03

$10.96 $10.96

-3.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$1.59 $1.59

42.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.99

$1.90 $1.90

48.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 CA$3.76

$1.75 $1.75

52.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.3 CA$109

$103 $103

-24.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.53

$3.54 $3.54

-9.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.89 $1.89

-21.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.88 CA$46.48

$24.02 $24.02

36.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.90

$1.58 $1.58

-15.19%

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

$28.2K CA$39.8K

$33.4K $33.4K

-15.70%

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

$19.6K CA$27.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

-23.11%

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

$76.0 CA$107

$248 $248

-69.42%

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

$33.95 CA$48.00

$59.1 $59.1

-42.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.31 CA$59.8

$64.4 $64.4

-34.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.76 CA$42.07

$34.90 $34.90

-14.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 CA$28.67

$35.33 $35.33

-42.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.77

$12.21 $12.21

-8.68%

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

$507 CA$717

$3,835 $3,835

-86.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.7K

$15.2K $15.2K

5.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.4

$31.04 $31.04

85.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.58 CA$53.1

$33.98 $33.98

10.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$71.2 $71.2

29.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$142 $142

-22.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CA$1,782

$3,169 $3,169

-60.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 CA$1,340

$2,907 $2,907

-67.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 CA$3,021

$5,545 $5,545

-61.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,281

$4,978 $4,978

-67.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,960 CA$7,011

$8,747 $8,747

-43.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,838 CA$5,425

$8,647 $8,647

-55.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,827 CA$3,997

$5,199 $5,199

-45.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.33

-29.23%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Pasadena, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$948 47%

Pasadena, CA

$2.9K 68% 207% $2K

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$346 17.2%

Pasadena, CA

$407 9.5% 17.5% $60

Eating Out

Montreal

$288 14.3%

Pasadena, CA

$282 6.6% 1.9% $5.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$152 7.5%

Pasadena, CA

$372 8.7% 144% $220

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.6%

Pasadena, CA

$125 2.9% 6.3% $8.4

Getting Around

Montreal

$99 4.9%

Pasadena, CA

$123 2.9% 24.7% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$52 2.6%

Pasadena, CA

$59 1.4% 13.9% $7.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Montreal versus $3,169 in Pasadena, 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 84% higher in Pasadena, 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 $70.0 in Montreal versus $76.0 in Pasadena, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $407 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Pasadena, CA

🕒 Local time

15:50 3:50 PM

12:50 12:50 PM

3 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

137,122

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.889 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 17, 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Montreal Pasadena, CA 3,950 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Pasadena, CA costs about 112% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $6,414 in Pasadena, 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.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Pasadena, CA, 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 $70.0 in Montreal and $76.0 in Pasadena, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,018, than in Pasadena, CA at $4,276. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pasadena, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,018 versus $4,276 in Pasadena, CA. 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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pasadena, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.