Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and San Juan Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and San Juan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $2,371 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $3,465 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $4,558 in San Juan, rent included.

Montreal is about 13% cheaper than San Juan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Montreal and San Juan sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, San Juan by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.05

$18.99 $18.99

-16.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$101

$80.1 $80.1

-8.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.43

$9.78 $9.78

14.01%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.26

$3.65 $3.65

4.11%

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

$2.18 CA$3.01

$1.71 $1.71

27.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.38 $1.38

5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.48

$3.05 $3.05

100.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.38

$4.56 $4.56

48.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.22

$2.50 $2.50

-6.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.69

$3.56 $3.56

-4.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.16

$2.19 $2.19

70.32%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.68

$6.12 $6.12

-44.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.50

$8.56 $8.56

89.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$15.98

$8.57 $8.57

34.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.10

$12.67 $12.67

20.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$6.01 $6.01

-37.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$2.60 $2.60

-34.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.68

$3.84 $3.84

7.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.02

$4.11 $4.11

5.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$3.95 $3.95

-31.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$2.92 $2.92

-10.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$3.03 $3.03

-25.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.98 $1.98

-12.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.43

$12.21 $12.21

9.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$14.93

$15.69 $15.69

-31.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.17

$2.44 $2.44

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.80

$3.12 $3.12

10.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$1.48 $1.48

85.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$30.51 $30.51

138.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.03

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.47 $1.47

-0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.30

$15.23 $15.23

119.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$0.98 $0.98

23.47%

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

$24.6K CA$34.1K

$36.2K $36.2K

-31.98%

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

$21.7K CA$30.0K

$26.5K $26.5K

-18.27%

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

$76.0 CA$105

$491 $491

-84.52%

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

$35.72 CA$49.46

$77.7 $77.7

-54.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.4

$74.9 $74.9

-42.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.4

$46.16 $46.16

-7.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

$34.34 $34.34

-49.83%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.35

$11.95 $11.95

-7.20%

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

$620 CA$858

$466 $466

32.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,078

$10.6K $10.6K

-44.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$45.64 $45.64

37.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.5

$56.6 $56.6

-21.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$139

$92.4 $92.4

9.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$106 $106

12.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,677

$1,567 $1,567

-22.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,329

$864 $864

11.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,818

$2,447 $2,447

-16.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,201

$1,407 $1,407

12.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,173

$7,475 $7,475

-30.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,446

$3,403 $3,403

15.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,098

$2,845 $2,845

4.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.71

-12.26%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for San Juan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal versus $1,567 in San Juan. 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 4% higher in Montreal, 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $80.0 in San Juan. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Montreal vs $385 in San Juan – so San Juan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan costs about 15% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,094 per month in Montreal and $3,557 in San Juan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in San Juan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal and $80.0 in San Juan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,063, than in San Juan at $2,371. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,371 in San Juan. 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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.