Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Saint Cloud, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Cloud, MN: $1,891 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
91

Cost of Living Index in Saint Cloud, MN
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Saint Cloud, MN Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Saint Cloud, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,891

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Saint Cloud, MN

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 Saint Cloud, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $1,891 in Saint Cloud, MN, rent included.

Montreal $2,018
Saint Cloud, MN $1,891

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,697 in Saint Cloud, MN, rent included.

Montreal $3,085
Saint Cloud, MN $2,697

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $3,502 in Saint Cloud, MN, rent included.

Montreal $4,152
Saint Cloud, MN $3,502

Montreal costs about 7% more than Saint Cloud, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Saint Cloud, MN sit above the global median – Montreal by 49%, Saint Cloud, MN by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 CA$26.61

$14.94 $14.94

25.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$99.4

$40.42 $40.42

73.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 CA$15.06

$8.45 $8.45

26.15%

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

$2.88 $2.88

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.18

$2.17 $2.17

-29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.23 CA$8.81

$5.98 $5.98

4.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 CA$10.03

$5.09 $5.09

39.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.27

$0.90 $0.90

156.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$1.48 $1.48

112.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.54

$1.90 $1.90

68.95%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.97

$3.79 $3.79

-7.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 CA$18.11

$9.60 $9.60

33.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.20

$6.66 $6.66

72.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 CA$18.92

$18.94 $18.94

-29.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.43

$3.71 $3.71

-15.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$1.09 $1.09

32.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.91

$2.78 $2.78

24.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.34

$3.49 $3.49

-12.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.69

$2.05 $2.05

-7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.50

$2.94 $2.94

-39.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.31

$1.94 $1.94

20.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$2.96 $2.96

-47.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.38 CA$16.09

$11.21 $11.21

1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CA$15.03

$14.71 $14.71

-27.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$1.70 $1.70

33.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.99

$3.04 $3.04

-7.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 CA$3.76

$1.70 $1.70

56.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.3 CA$109

$61.2 $61.2

26.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.53

$3.44 $3.44

-6.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$0.79 $0.79

87.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.88 CA$46.48

$11.76 $11.76

179.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.90

$0.89 $0.89

50.56%

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

$28.2K CA$39.8K

$30.0K $30.0K

-6.20%

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

$19.6K CA$27.8K

$23.7K $23.7K

-17.14%

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

$76.0 CA$107

$122 $122

-37.67%

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

$33.95 CA$48.00

$45.73 $45.73

-25.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.31 CA$59.8

$44.69 $44.69

-5.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.76 CA$42.07

$24.96 $24.96

19.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 CA$28.67

$27.73 $27.73

-26.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.77

$11.80 $11.80

-5.51%

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

$507 CA$717

$1,721 $1,721

-70.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.7K

$5,918 $5,918

171.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.4

$56.5 $56.5

1.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.58 CA$53.1

$50.3 $50.3

-25.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$72.6 $72.6

26.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$80.3 $80.3

36.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CA$1,782

$913 $913

38.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 CA$1,340

$859 $859

10.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 CA$3,021

$1,409 $1,409

51.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,281

$1,255 $1,255

28.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,960 CA$7,011

$2,038 $2,038

143.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,838 CA$5,425

$1,772 $1,772

116.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,827 CA$3,997

$3,949 $3,949

-28.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.61

-32.22%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Saint Cloud, MN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$948 47%

Saint Cloud, MN

$859 45.4% 9.4% $89

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$346 17.2%

Saint Cloud, MN

$318 16.8% 8.1% $28

Eating Out

Montreal

$288 14.3%

Saint Cloud, MN

$261 13.8% 9.5% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$152 7.5%

Saint Cloud, MN

$212 11.2% 39.5% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.6%

Saint Cloud, MN

$117 6.2% 12.5% $17

Getting Around

Montreal

$99 4.9%

Saint Cloud, MN

$75 4% 23.5% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$52 2.6%

Saint Cloud, MN

$49 2.6% 6.7% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Montreal versus $913 in Saint Cloud, MN. 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 40% higher in Saint Cloud, MN, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal versus $40.00 in Saint Cloud, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $318 – making Saint Cloud, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Saint Cloud, MN

🕒 Local time

14:09 2:09 PM

13:09 1:09 PM

1 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

67,109

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Montreal Saint Cloud, MN 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Saint Cloud, MN

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 Saint Cloud, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 7% more than Saint Cloud, MN, 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 $2,836 in Saint Cloud, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $70.0 in Montreal and $40.00 in Saint Cloud, MN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint Cloud, MN, where all-in costs run around $1,891, than in Montreal at $2,018. In Saint Cloud, MN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saint Cloud, MN costs $1,891 versus $2,018 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 Saint Cloud, MN. 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.