Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Puerto Penasco

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Penasco: $1,216 a month against $2,003 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,003
/mo nomad
Puerto Penasco
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,216
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $2,003 per month in Montreal vs $1,216 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,003
  • Puerto Penasco $1,216

A couple spends around $3,048 per month in Montreal vs $1,963 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,048
  • Puerto Penasco $1,963

A family of three spends $4,092 per month in Montreal vs $2,710 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,092
  • Puerto Penasco $2,710

Montreal costs about 65% more than Puerto Penasco, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montreal sits 49% above the global median, while Puerto Penasco is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Puerto Penasco
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.31 CA$27.52
$12.20 MX$224
58.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.5 CA$108
$44.66 MX$820
69.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.63 CA$15.15
$8.56 MX$157
24.18%
Cappuccino
$3.93 CA$5.60
$4.83 MX$88.7
-18.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.73
$1.40 MX$25.67
37.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 CA$2.11
$1.05 MX$19.32
40.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.30 CA$8.98
$2.67 MX$49.05
135.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19 CA$10.24
$3.95 MX$72.6
82.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Puerto Penasco
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 CA$3.17
$1.60 MX$29.32
38.75%
White Bread (500g)
$3.06 CA$4.36
$3.05 MX$55.9
0.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.94 CA$4.19
$1.68 MX$30.92
75.00%
Eggs
$3.53 CA$5.03
$2.99 MX$54.8
18.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.19 CA$18.79
$4.88 MX$89.7
170.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.24 CA$16.02
$10.75 MX$197
4.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.81 CA$19.69
$9.68 MX$178
42.67%
Apples (1kg)
$3.40 CA$4.85
$4.47 MX$82.1
-23.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.06
$1.91 MX$35.06
-24.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.26 CA$4.65
$3.15 MX$57.8
3.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 CA$4.10
$2.11 MX$38.80
36.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 CA$2.65
$1.95 MX$35.88
-4.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 CA$2.60
$2.02 MX$37.14
-9.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.43 CA$3.46
$1.46 MX$26.85
66.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 CA$2.17
$1.59 MX$29.19
-4.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.45 CA$16.32
$4.48 MX$82.2
155.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.36 CA$14.76
$13.70 MX$252
-24.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 CA$3.16
$1.57 MX$28.91
41.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$4.02
$1.56 MX$28.67
80.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Puerto Penasco
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.58 CA$3.67
$0.64 MX$11.71
303.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.9 CA$110
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 CA$4.64
$2.25 MX$41.40
44.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.11
$3.13 MX$57.5
-52.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.04 CA$47.09
$11.22 MX$206
194.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 CA$1.94
$1.38 MX$25.27
-1.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K CA$39.1K
$21.3K MX$391.3K
28.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.0K CA$28.5K
$24.4K MX$448.1K
-18.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Puerto Penasco
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.1 CA$109
$71.5 MX$1,314
6.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.68 CA$49.43
$12.60 MX$231
175.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.69 CA$60.9
$43.81 MX$804
-2.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Puerto Penasco
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.94 CA$41.26
$33.41 MX$613
-13.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.33 CA$28.97
$20.26 MX$372
0.35%
Cinema Ticket
$11.21 CA$15.98
$5.43 MX$99.6
106.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Puerto Penasco
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$505 CA$720
$226 MX$4,143
123.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.0K CA$22.8K
$4,696 MX$86.2K
240.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Puerto Penasco
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 CA$83.4
$55.9 MX$1,026
4.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.00 CA$54.2
$42.12 MX$773
-9.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.7 CA$132
$100 MX$1,839
-7.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 CA$151
$90.6 MX$1,664
16.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Puerto Penasco
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,240 CA$1,768
$533 MX$9,787
132.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$986 CA$1,405
$387 MX$7,112
154.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 CA$2,996
$958 MX$17.6K
119.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,615 CA$2,302
$764 MX$14.0K
111.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,043 CA$7,188
$1,873 MX$34.4K
169.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,830 CA$5,459
$1,168 MX$21.4K
227.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Puerto Penasco
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,920 CA$4,163
$596 MX$10.9K
390.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.46
10.55
-57.73%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Last update for Puerto Penasco: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$986
Puerto Penasco
$387 60.7% $599
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$344
Puerto Penasco
$293 14.8% $51
Eating Out
Montreal
$293
Puerto Penasco
$212 27.5% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$154
Puerto Penasco
$128 16.6% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
Puerto Penasco
$130 2.1% $2.8
Getting Around
Montreal
$98
Puerto Penasco
$20 * 79.1% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$51
Puerto Penasco
$44 13.8% $7.1

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 $533 in Puerto Penasco. 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 390% 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 $45.00 in Puerto Penasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $293 – making Puerto Penasco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇲🇽 Puerto Penasco
🕒 Local time
04:50 4:50 AM
01:50 1:50 AM
3 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
56,756
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Puerto Penasco 3,770 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Puerto Penasco

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 Penasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or Puerto Penasco?
Montreal costs about 65% more than Puerto Penasco, 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 Penasco?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,005 per month in Montreal and $1,824 in Puerto Penasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montreal or Puerto Penasco?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Penasco, 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 Penasco?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Montreal and $45.00 in Puerto Penasco. 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 Penasco?
Groceries cost about 17% 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 Puerto Penasco?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Penasco, where all-in costs run around $1,216, than in Montreal at $2,003. In Puerto Penasco 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 Penasco?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Puerto Penasco costs $1,216 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 Puerto Penasco?
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 Penasco?
If budget matters most, go with Puerto Penasco. 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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