Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Puerto Escondido

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Escondido: $1,151 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Puerto Escondido
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,151
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Puerto Escondido

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 Puerto Escondido actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $1,151 in Puerto Escondido, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,018
  • Puerto Escondido $1,151

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $1,856 in Puerto Escondido, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,085
  • Puerto Escondido $1,856

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $2,561 in Puerto Escondido, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,152
  • Puerto Escondido $2,561

Montreal costs about 75% more than Puerto Escondido, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montreal sits 49% above the global median, while Puerto Escondido is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Puerto Escondido
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 CA$26.61
$10.52 MX$194
78.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 CA$99.4
$42.96 MX$794
63.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 CA$15.06
$8.65 MX$160
23.24%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.43
$3.58 MX$66.1
7.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.71
$1.42 MX$26.25
35.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.18
$1.05 MX$19.38
46.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.23 CA$8.81
$3.04 MX$56.2
104.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 CA$10.03
$4.05 MX$74.9
75.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Puerto Escondido
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 CA$3.27
$1.85 MX$34.14
24.86%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$2.84 MX$52.5
10.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.21 CA$4.54
$1.64 MX$30.22
95.73%
Eggs
$3.52 CA$4.97
$2.80 MX$51.7
25.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 CA$18.11
$8.20 MX$152
56.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.20
$10.98 MX$203
4.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.39 CA$18.92
$11.54 MX$213
16.03%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
$2.68 MX$49.45
17.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.03
$1.59 MX$29.42
-9.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 CA$4.91
$1.86 MX$34.42
86.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.34
$1.73 MX$32.01
77.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.69
$1.59 MX$29.46
19.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 CA$2.50
$2.02 MX$37.35
-12.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.31
$1.48 MX$27.28
58.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.19
$1.14 MX$21.15
35.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.38 CA$16.09
$4.48 MX$82.7
154.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.63 CA$15.03
$10.36 MX$191
2.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$2.46 MX$45.43
-7.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$3.09 MX$57.1
-8.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Puerto Escondido
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 CA$3.76
$0.83 MX$15.35
220.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.3 CA$109
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 CA$4.53
$2.80 MX$51.7
14.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.09
$1.78 MX$32.92
-16.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.88 CA$46.48
$9.89 MX$183
232.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 CA$1.90
$1.36 MX$25.14
-1.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$18.7K MX$344.9K
50.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.8K
$25.2K MX$465.2K
-22.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Puerto Escondido
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 CA$107
$64.7 MX$1,196
17.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 CA$48.00
$22.92 MX$424
48.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.31 CA$59.8
$36.45 MX$674
16.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Puerto Escondido
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 CA$42.07
$27.77 MX$513
7.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.28 CA$28.67
$19.89 MX$368
1.96%
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 CA$15.77
$4.56 MX$84.2
144.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Puerto Escondido
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 CA$717
$220 MX$4,069
130.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K CA$22.7K
$4,364 MX$80.6K
267.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Puerto Escondido
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$81.4
$49.88 MX$922
15.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.58 CA$53.1
$42.79 MX$791
-12.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$130
$91.6 MX$1,693
0.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$84.0 MX$1,553
30.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Puerto Escondido
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 CA$1,782
$601 MX$11.1K
109.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 CA$1,340
$382 MX$7,061
147.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 CA$3,021
$960 MX$17.7K
122.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 CA$2,281
$778 MX$14.4K
107.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 CA$7,011
$2,036 MX$37.6K
143.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,838 CA$5,425
$1,289 MX$23.8K
197.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Puerto Escondido
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,827 CA$3,997
$327 MX$6,035
765.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
11.3
-60.35%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Puerto Escondido: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$948
Puerto Escondido
$382 59.7% $565
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$346
Puerto Escondido
$285 17.6% $61
Eating Out
Montreal
$288
Puerto Escondido
$186 35.3% $102
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$152
Puerto Escondido
$124 18.5% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Puerto Escondido
$121 9.5% $13
Getting Around
Montreal
$99
Puerto Escondido
$15 * 84.7% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$52
Puerto Escondido
$37 29.2% $15

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Montreal versus $601 in Puerto Escondido. 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 766% 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 $70.0 in Montreal versus $43.00 in Puerto Escondido. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $285 – making Puerto Escondido the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇲🇽 Puerto Escondido
🕒 Local time
09:12 9:12 AM
07:12 7:12 AM
2 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
25,902
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Puerto Escondido 3,960 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Puerto Escondido

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 Puerto Escondido: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or Puerto Escondido?
Montreal costs about 75% more than Puerto Escondido, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Montreal and in Puerto Escondido?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $1,726 in Puerto Escondido. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montreal or Puerto Escondido?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Escondido, 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 Puerto Escondido?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal and $43.00 in Puerto Escondido. 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 Puerto Escondido?
Groceries cost about 21% 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 $1,500/month in Montreal or in Puerto Escondido?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Escondido, where all-in costs run around $1,151, than in Montreal at $2,018. In Puerto Escondido 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 Puerto Escondido?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Puerto Escondido costs $1,151 versus $2,018 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 Puerto Escondido?
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 Puerto Escondido?
If budget matters most, go with Puerto Escondido. 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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