Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and San German

For one person, living is cheaper in San German: $1,332 a month against $2,067 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
63

Cost of Living Index in San German
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San German Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,067

/mo nomad

San German

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

$1,332

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $2,067 per month in Montreal vs $1,332 in San German, rent included.

Montreal $2,067
San German $1,332

A couple spends around $3,179 per month in Montreal vs $2,099 in San German, rent included.

Montreal $3,179
San German $2,099

A family of three spends $4,291 per month in Montreal vs $2,865 in San German, rent included.

Montreal $4,291
San German $2,865

Montreal costs about 55% more than San German, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.89 CA$26.57

$19.74 $19.74

-4.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 CA$102

$82.9 $82.9

-12.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 CA$15.18

$9.34 $9.34

15.52%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.60

$3.59 $3.59

10.86%

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

$2.02 CA$2.84

$1.84 $1.84

9.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.29

$1.48 $1.48

10.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 CA$8.89

$3.08 $3.08

105.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 CA$9.93

$4.91 $4.91

43.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.28

$2.23 $2.23

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CA$4.57

$3.54 $3.54

-8.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.59

$2.36 $2.36

38.14%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.89

$7.79 $7.79

-55.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.31

$12.58 $12.58

9.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.14

$9.45 $9.45

21.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 CA$20.05

$13.36 $13.36

6.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$4.91 $4.91

-28.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CA$2.05

$2.67 $2.67

-45.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.80

$4.73 $4.73

-27.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$4.95 $4.95

-35.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.72

$3.68 $3.68

-47.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$3.93 $3.93

-54.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.54

$3.50 $3.50

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.22

$1.58 $1.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.51 CA$16.18

$12.06 $12.06

-4.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 CA$14.87

$15.76 $15.76

-32.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CA$3.30

$2.98 $2.98

-21.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$4.12 $4.12

-29.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.5 CA$110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.46

$2.51 $2.51

26.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.10

$1.54 $1.54

-3.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.49 CA$47.10

$42.58 $42.58

-21.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.20 $1.20

13.33%

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

$28.0K CA$39.4K

$34.5K $34.5K

-18.80%

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

$21.1K CA$29.7K

$27.5K $27.5K

-23.13%

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

$77.6 CA$109

$326 $326

-76.21%

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

$35.63 CA$50.1

$70.1 $70.1

-49.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.73 CA$61.5

$69.7 $69.7

-37.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.07 CA$42.29

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.97 CA$28.08

Cinema Ticket

$11.27 CA$15.85

$10.66 $10.66

5.72%

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

$522 CA$734

$809 $809

-35.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K CA$25.0K

$12.1K $12.1K

46.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$82.9

$55.1 $55.1

6.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.01 CA$54.9

$62.1 $62.1

-37.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 CA$140

$108 $108

-7.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$154

$115 $115

-4.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 CA$1,826

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 CA$1,365

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 CA$3,267

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 CA$2,376

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,004 CA$7,037

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,736 CA$5,255

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,943 CA$4,139

$2,744 $2,744

7.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

6.55

-31.15%

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

Last update for Montreal: November 3, 2026

Last update for San German: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$970 47%

San German

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$357 17.3%

San German

$414 31.1% 15.9% $57

Eating Out

Montreal

$292 14.1%

San German

$268 20.1% 8.3% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$157 7.6%

San German

$466 35% 197% $309

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$138 6.7%

San German

$153 11.5% 10.6% $15

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.8%

San German

$10 * 0.8% 89.7% $89

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$53 2.6%

San German

$21 * 1.6% 59.5% $31

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 7% 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 $73 in Montreal versus $83 in San German. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $414 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇵🇷 San German

🕒 Local time

16:16 4:16 PM

17:16 5:16 PM

1 h ahead of Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

35,000

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.711 USD

1 CAD = 0.636 EUR

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.636 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montreal San German 3,110 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
San German

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 German: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 55% more than San German, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,100 per month in Montreal and $1,998 in San German. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Montreal and $83 in San German. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Montreal – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San German, where all-in costs run around $1,332, than in Montreal at $2,067. In San German it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,332 in San German to $2,067 in Montreal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with San German. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.