Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and San Lorenzo

For one person, living is cheaper in San Lorenzo: $582 a month against $2,018 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
San Lorenzo
🇵🇾 Paraguay
$582
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $582 in San Lorenzo, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,018
  • San Lorenzo $582

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $992 in San Lorenzo, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,085
  • San Lorenzo $992

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $1,402 in San Lorenzo, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,152
  • San Lorenzo $1,402

Montreal costs about 247% more than San Lorenzo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montreal sits 49% above the global median, while San Lorenzo is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
San Lorenzo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.82 CA$26.61
$6.86 ₲39.0K
174.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 CA$99.4
$43.70 ₲248.5K
60.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.66 CA$15.06
$6.90 ₲39.2K
54.49%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.43
$3.45 ₲19.6K
11.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 CA$2.71
$1.07 ₲6,076
79.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.18
$0.58 ₲3,290
165.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.23 CA$8.81
$1.98 ₲11.2K
214.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 CA$10.03
$1.74 ₲9,912
308.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
San Lorenzo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 CA$3.27
$1.18 ₲6,709
95.76%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$1.03 ₲5,841
204.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.21 CA$4.54
$1.38 ₲7,863
132.61%
Eggs
$3.52 CA$4.97
$2.41 ₲13.7K
46.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 CA$18.11
$5.16 ₲29.3K
148.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.46 CA$16.20
$2.27 ₲12.9K
404.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.39 CA$18.92
$6.99 ₲39.7K
91.56%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 CA$4.43
$2.32 ₲13.2K
35.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.03
$1.25 ₲7,092
15.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.47 CA$4.91
$1.02 ₲5,809
240.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 CA$4.34
$1.22 ₲6,939
151.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.69
$1.07 ₲6,110
77.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 CA$2.50
$0.92 ₲5,210
92.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.31
$0.46 ₲2,635
408.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.19
$0.54 ₲3,096
187.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.38 CA$16.09
$2.31 ₲13.1K
392.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.63 CA$15.03
$3.97 ₲22.6K
167.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$0.65 ₲3,698
249.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 CA$3.99
$0.91 ₲5,185
209.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
San Lorenzo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 CA$3.76
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.3 CA$109
$35.47 ₲201.7K
117.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 CA$4.53
$1.47 ₲8,361
117.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.09
$1.55 ₲8,836
-4.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.88 CA$46.48
$4.07 ₲23.1K
707.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 CA$1.90
$1.28 ₲7,304
4.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$17.4K ₲99.2M
61.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.8K
$35.1K ₲199.7M
-44.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
San Lorenzo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 CA$107
$52.1 ₲296.1K
45.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.95 CA$48.00
$17.41 ₲99.0K
95.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.31 CA$59.8
$22.99 ₲130.8K
84.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
San Lorenzo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 CA$42.07
$21.48 ₲122.2K
38.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.28 CA$28.67
$12.11 ₲68.9K
67.46%
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 CA$15.77
$4.37 ₲24.9K
155.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
San Lorenzo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 CA$717
$185 ₲1.0M
174.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K CA$22.7K
$5,735 ₲32.6M
179.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
San Lorenzo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6 CA$81.4
$63.9 ₲363.4K
-9.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.58 CA$53.1
$58.7 ₲333.6K
-35.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 CA$130
$110 ₲624.8K
-16.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$72.2 ₲410.4K
51.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
San Lorenzo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 CA$1,782
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 CA$1,340
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 CA$3,021
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 CA$2,281
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 CA$7,011
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,838 CA$5,425
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
San Lorenzo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,827 CA$3,997
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
10.15
-55.86%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for San Lorenzo: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$948
San Lorenzo
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$346
San Lorenzo
$141 59.4% $206
Eating Out
Montreal
$288
San Lorenzo
$137 52.4% $151
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$152
San Lorenzo
$92 39.2% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$133
San Lorenzo
$137 2.7% $3.6
Getting Around
Montreal
$99
San Lorenzo
$45 * 54.6% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$52
San Lorenzo
$30 41.9% $22

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal versus $44.00 in San Lorenzo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $141 – making San Lorenzo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇵🇾 San Lorenzo
🕒 Local time
21:10 9:10 PM
22:10 10:10 PM
1 h ahead of Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
489,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5,686 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,393 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal San Lorenzo 8,040 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • San Lorenzo

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 Lorenzo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or San Lorenzo?
Montreal costs about 247% more than San Lorenzo, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Montreal and in San Lorenzo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $873 in San Lorenzo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Are groceries more expensive in Montreal or in San Lorenzo?
Groceries cost about 146% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Montreal and in San Lorenzo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal and $44.00 in San Lorenzo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Montreal or in San Lorenzo?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Lorenzo, where all-in costs run around $582, than in Montreal at $2,018. In San Lorenzo 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 Lorenzo?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Lorenzo costs $582 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 Lorenzo?
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 Lorenzo?
If budget matters most, go with San Lorenzo. 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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