Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and San Felipe

For one person, living is cheaper in San Felipe: $1,106 a month against $2,059 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,059
/mo nomad
San Felipe
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,106
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in San Felipe

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

A single person spends $2,059 per month in Montreal vs $1,106 in San Felipe, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,059
  • San Felipe $1,106

A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Montreal vs $1,777 in San Felipe, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,123
  • San Felipe $1,777

A family of three spends $4,187 per month in Montreal vs $2,448 in San Felipe, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,187
  • San Felipe $2,448

Montreal costs about 86% more than San Felipe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montreal sits 52% above the global median, while San Felipe is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
San Felipe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.84 CA$26.63
$7.35 MX$136
156.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.2 CA$104
$43.63 MX$806
67.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 CA$14.90
$8.27 MX$153
27.45%
Cappuccino
$3.97 CA$5.61
$3.49 MX$64.4
13.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.74
$1.35 MX$24.91
43.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 CA$2.22
$1.05 MX$19.41
49.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.42 CA$9.08
$2.45 MX$45.34
162.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.20 CA$10.19
$4.10 MX$75.8
75.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
San Felipe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.32 CA$3.28
$1.64 MX$30.38
41.46%
White Bread (500g)
$3.19 CA$4.51
$2.54 MX$46.89
25.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.19 CA$4.50
$1.72 MX$31.80
85.47%
Eggs
$3.68 CA$5.20
$2.53 MX$46.82
45.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.24 CA$18.72
$8.42 MX$156
57.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.69 CA$16.53
$8.46 MX$156
38.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.98 CA$19.76
$11.72 MX$217
19.28%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$2.67 MX$49.26
17.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 CA$2.05
$1.53 MX$28.23
-5.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.38 CA$4.78
$1.89 MX$35.02
78.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.11 CA$4.40
$1.83 MX$33.76
69.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 CA$2.72
$1.99 MX$36.84
-3.02%
Onion (1kg)
$1.83 CA$2.58
$1.87 MX$34.64
-2.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.36 CA$3.34
$1.43 MX$26.39
65.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 CA$2.12
$1.08 MX$20.02
38.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.12 CA$15.73
$4.50 MX$83.1
147.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.60 CA$14.98
$10.26 MX$190
3.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 CA$3.14
$1.75 MX$32.42
26.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 CA$4.01
$3.07 MX$56.8
-7.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
San Felipe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.62 CA$3.71
$0.63 MX$11.65
315.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.1 CA$112
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 CA$4.56
$2.63 MX$48.65
22.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.10
$1.93 MX$35.73
-23.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.22 CA$45.55
$11.06 MX$204
191.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 CA$1.92
$1.45 MX$26.73
-6.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K CA$39.1K
$21.4K MX$395.3K
29.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.2K CA$30.0K
$24.5K MX$452.2K
-13.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
San Felipe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.0 CA$109
$57.9 MX$1,070
33.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.14 CA$48.26
$23.12 MX$427
47.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.19 CA$59.7
$29.50 MX$545
43.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
San Felipe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.81 CA$43.56
$33.66 MX$622
-8.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.66 CA$27.79
$20.47 MX$378
-3.96%
Cinema Ticket
$11.47 CA$16.22
$5.36 MX$99.0
113.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
San Felipe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$506 CA$716
$219 MX$4,051
130.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K CA$23.0K
$4,580 MX$84.6K
254.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
San Felipe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.3 CA$81.0
$54.2 MX$1,002
5.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.10 CA$53.9
$40.18 MX$742
-5.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$130
$99.7 MX$1,842
-7.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$90.0 MX$1,662
22.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
San Felipe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,237 CA$1,748
$617 MX$11.4K
100.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$977 CA$1,381
$389 MX$7,184
151.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,180 CA$3,082
$1,059 MX$19.6K
105.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 CA$2,273
$757 MX$14.0K
112.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,113 CA$7,228
$1,934 MX$35.7K
164.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,744 CA$5,293
$1,147 MX$21.2K
226.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
San Felipe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,957 CA$4,180
-
-
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 20, 2026

Last update for San Felipe: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$977
San Felipe
$389 60.2% $588
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$351
San Felipe
$265 24.6% $86
Eating Out
Montreal
$290
San Felipe
$156 46.5% $135
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$153
San Felipe
$111 27.9% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$134
San Felipe
$128 4.4% $5.8
Getting Around
Montreal
$100
San Felipe
$15 * 85.2% $85
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$54
San Felipe
$44 17.5% $9.4

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,237 in Montreal versus $617 in San Felipe. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal versus $44.00 in San Felipe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $265 – making San Felipe the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇲🇽 San Felipe
🕒 Local time
16:30 4:30 PM
14:30 2:30 PM
2 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
28,452
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 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 San Felipe 3,670 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • San Felipe

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 San Felipe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or San Felipe?
Montreal costs about 86% more than San Felipe, 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 San Felipe?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,089 per month in Montreal and $1,660 in San Felipe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montreal or San Felipe?
Rent is clearly cheaper in San Felipe, 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 San Felipe?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal and $44.00 in San Felipe. 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 San Felipe?
Groceries cost about 33% 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 San Felipe?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Felipe, where all-in costs run around $1,106, than in Montreal at $2,059. In San Felipe 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 San Felipe?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Felipe costs $1,106 versus $2,059 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 San Felipe?
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 San Felipe?
If budget matters most, go with San Felipe. 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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