Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Santo Domingo

For one person, living is cheaper in Santo Domingo: $1,100 a month against $2,067 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal, Canada
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,067
/mo nomad
Santo Domingo
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
$1,100
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Santo Domingo

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

A single person spends $2,067 per month in Montreal vs $1,100 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,067
  • Santo Domingo $1,100

A couple spends around $3,179 per month in Montreal vs $1,735 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,179
  • Santo Domingo $1,735

A family of three spends $4,291 per month in Montreal vs $2,370 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,291
  • Santo Domingo $2,370

Montreal costs about 88% more than Santo Domingo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montreal sits 53% above the global median, while Santo Domingo is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Santo Domingo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.89 CA$26.48
$9.66 DOP 578
95.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.6 CA$102
$52.4 DOP 3,134
38.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.79 CA$15.13
$7.56 DOP 452
42.72%
Cappuccino
$3.98 CA$5.58
$2.42 DOP 145
64.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 CA$2.83
$1.05 DOP 63.0
92.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 CA$2.29
$0.59 DOP 35.17
176.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.32 CA$8.86
$2.49 DOP 149
153.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.06 CA$9.90
$3.02 DOP 180
133.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Santo Domingo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.33 CA$3.27
$1.37 DOP 81.7
70.07%
White Bread (500g)
$3.25 CA$4.55
$1.58 DOP 94.6
105.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 CA$4.58
$1.55 DOP 93.0
110.32%
Eggs
$3.48 CA$4.87
$2.37 DOP 142
46.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.73 CA$19.25
$7.16 DOP 428
91.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.48 CA$16.09
$5.46 DOP 327
110.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.26 CA$19.99
$6.50 DOP 389
119.38%
Apples (1kg)
$3.52 CA$4.94
$3.22 DOP 192
9.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 CA$2.04
$0.82 DOP 49.18
78.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.41 CA$4.78
$2.76 DOP 165
23.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.20 CA$4.49
$1.82 DOP 109
75.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 CA$2.71
$2.04 DOP 122
-4.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.78 CA$2.50
$2.15 DOP 128
-17.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.52 CA$3.53
$1.00 DOP 59.8
152.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.22
$0.99 DOP 59.4
59.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.51 CA$16.13
$5.46 DOP 326
110.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.57 CA$14.82
$10.43 DOP 624
1.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 CA$3.29
$2.52 DOP 151
-6.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 CA$4.06
$2.87 DOP 172
1.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Santo Domingo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 CA$3.66
$0.60 DOP 36.03
335.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.5 CA$110
$16.72 DOP 1,000
369.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 CA$4.45
$3.37 DOP 202
-5.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 CA$2.09
$2.25 DOP 134
-33.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.49 CA$46.94
$5.65 DOP 338
492.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 CA$1.91
$1.41 DOP 84.1
-3.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K CA$39.3K
$29.1K DOP 1.7M
-3.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.6K
$33.3K DOP 2.0M
-36.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Santo Domingo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.6 CA$109
$91.9 DOP 5,496
-15.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.63 CA$49.94
$31.92 DOP 1,909
11.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.73 CA$61.3
$36.52 DOP 2,184
19.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Santo Domingo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.07 CA$42.16
$29.86 DOP 1,786
0.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.97 CA$27.99
$24.52 DOP 1,466
-18.56%
Cinema Ticket
$11.27 CA$15.80
$7.27 DOP 435
55.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Santo Domingo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$522 CA$732
$247 DOP 14.7K
111.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.8K CA$24.9K
$8,515 DOP 509.1K
108.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Santo Domingo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.0 CA$82.7
$45.01 DOP 2,691
31.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.01 CA$54.7
$47.24 DOP 2,825
-17.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.8 CA$140
$88.4 DOP 5,283
12.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$154
$122 DOP 7,299
-10.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Santo Domingo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,298 CA$1,820
$754 DOP 45.1K
72.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$970 CA$1,360
$351 DOP 21.0K
176.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,323 CA$3,257
$1,450 DOP 86.7K
60.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,689 CA$2,368
$623 DOP 37.2K
171.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,004 CA$7,014
$2,511 DOP 150.2K
99.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,736 CA$5,237
$1,336 DOP 79.9K
179.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Santo Domingo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,943 CA$4,125
$675 DOP 40.4K
336.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.51
13.56
-66.74%

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

Last update for Montreal: November 3, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$970
Santo Domingo
$351 63.8% $619
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$357
Santo Domingo
$220 38.4% $137
Eating Out
Montreal
$292
Santo Domingo
$154 47.2% $138
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$157
Santo Domingo
$160 2.2% $3.4
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$138
Santo Domingo
$136 1.5% $2.1
Getting Around
Montreal
$100
Santo Domingo
$34 66.1% $66
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$53
Santo Domingo
$44 15.6% $8.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,298 in Montreal versus $754 in Santo Domingo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Montreal are about 4.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Montreal versus $52 in Santo Domingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $220 – making Santo Domingo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇩🇴 Santo Domingo
🕒 Local time
08:19 8:19 AM
09:19 9:19 AM
1 h ahead of Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
965,040 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

DOP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

Dominican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 59.79 DOP (100 DOP = 1.67 USD). 1 EUR = 67.15 DOP (100 DOP = 1.49 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Santo Domingo 3,020 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Santo Domingo

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 Santo Domingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or Santo Domingo?
Montreal costs about 88% more than Santo Domingo, 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 Santo Domingo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,100 per month in Montreal and $1,650 in Santo Domingo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montreal or Santo Domingo?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Santo Domingo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $754 there versus $1,298 in Montreal.
Are groceries more expensive in Montreal or in Santo Domingo?
Groceries cost about 62% more in Montreal, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Montreal and in Santo Domingo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Montreal and $52 in Santo Domingo. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Montreal or in Santo Domingo?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santo Domingo, where all-in costs run around $1,100, than in Montreal at $2,067. In Santo Domingo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Santo Domingo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Montreal or to Santo Domingo?
If budget matters most, go with Santo Domingo. If higher salaries 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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