Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and San Juan de Pasto

For one person, living is cheaper in San Juan de Pasto: $1,371 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
San Juan de Pasto
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,371
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in San Juan de Pasto

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 Juan de Pasto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $1,371 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,018
  • San Juan de Pasto $1,371

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,031 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,085
  • San Juan de Pasto $2,031

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $2,691 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,152
  • San Juan de Pasto $2,691

Montreal costs about 47% more than San Juan de Pasto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Montreal and San Juan de Pasto sit above the global median – Montreal by 49%, San Juan de Pasto by 2%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 CA$26.61
$6.63 COP 21.0K
183.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 CA$99.4
$45.64 COP 144.7K
54.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 CA$15.06
$9.96 COP 31.6K
7.03%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.43
$2.57 COP 8,146
49.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.71
$1.56 COP 4,948
23.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.18
$0.86 COP 2,715
79.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.23 CA$8.81
$3.07 COP 9,733
102.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 CA$10.03
$4.05 COP 12.9K
75.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 CA$3.27
$1.43 COP 4,538
61.54%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$2.41 COP 7,629
30.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.21 CA$4.54
$1.83 COP 5,795
75.41%
Eggs
$3.52 CA$4.97
$3.33 COP 10.6K
5.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 CA$18.11
$7.27 COP 23.1K
76.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.20
$11.06 COP 35.1K
3.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.39 CA$18.92
$13.41 COP 42.5K
-0.15%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
$3.58 COP 11.3K
-12.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.03
$1.40 COP 4,426
2.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 CA$4.91
$2.01 COP 6,359
72.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.34
$1.78 COP 5,640
72.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.69
$1.41 COP 4,481
34.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 CA$2.50
$1.27 COP 4,041
39.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.31
$1.12 COP 3,566
108.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.19
$1.12 COP 3,555
38.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.38 CA$16.09
$3.65 COP 11.6K
211.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.63 CA$15.03
$13.43 COP 42.6K
-20.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$1.46 COP 4,635
55.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$2.73 COP 8,670
3.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 CA$3.76
$1.07 COP 3,390
148.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.3 CA$109
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 CA$4.53
$1.61 COP 5,102
98.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.09
$2.39 COP 7,590
-38.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.88 CA$46.48
$9.04 COP 28.7K
263.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 CA$1.90
$1.19 COP 3,770
12.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$22.6K COP 71.7M
24.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.8K
$32.0K COP 101.4M
-38.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 CA$107
$124 COP 392.5K
-38.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 CA$48.00
$13.01 COP 41.2K
160.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.31 CA$59.8
$29.19 COP 92.5K
44.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 CA$42.07
$42.67 COP 135.3K
-30.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.28 CA$28.67
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 CA$15.77
$6.19 COP 19.6K
80.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 CA$717
$682 COP 2.2M
-25.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K CA$22.7K
$6,774 COP 21.5M
136.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$81.4
$91.0 COP 288.5K
-36.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.58 CA$53.1
$61.1 COP 193.8K
-38.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$130
$153 COP 486.6K
-40.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$102 COP 323.0K
7.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 CA$1,782
$706 COP 2.2M
78.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 CA$1,340
$518 COP 1.6M
82.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 CA$3,021
$1,082 COP 3.4M
97.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 CA$2,281
$789 COP 2.5M
104.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 CA$7,011
$2,028 COP 6.4M
144.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,838 CA$5,425
$1,580 COP 5.0M
142.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,827 CA$3,997
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
11.58
-61.31%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$948
San Juan de Pasto
$518 45.3% $429
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$346
San Juan de Pasto
$284 18.1% $63
Eating Out
Montreal
$288
San Juan de Pasto
$147 49% $141
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$152
San Juan de Pasto
$166 9% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
San Juan de Pasto
$183 37.4% $50
Getting Around
Montreal
$99
San Juan de Pasto
$18 * 81.9% $81
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$52
San Juan de Pasto
$55 5.7% $3

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 $706 in San Juan de Pasto. 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 $70.0 in Montreal versus $46.00 in San Juan de Pasto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $284 – making San Juan de Pasto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇨🇴 San Juan de Pasto
🕒 Local time
22:39 10:39 PM
21:39 9:39 PM
1 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
392,930
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

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).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal San Juan de Pasto 4,940 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • San Juan de Pasto

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 Juan de Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or San Juan de Pasto?
Montreal costs about 47% more than San Juan de Pasto, 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 Juan de Pasto?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $2,057 in San Juan de Pasto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montreal or San Juan de Pasto?
Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan de Pasto, 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 Juan de Pasto?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal and $46.00 in San Juan de Pasto. 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 Juan de Pasto?
Groceries cost about 22% 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 $1,000/month in Montreal or in San Juan de Pasto?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan de Pasto, where all-in costs run around $1,371, than in Montreal at $2,018. In San Juan de Pasto 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 Juan de Pasto?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Juan de Pasto costs $1,371 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 San Juan de Pasto?
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 Juan de Pasto?
If budget matters most, go with San Juan de Pasto. 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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