Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Sao Carlos

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Carlos: $1,003 a month against $2,003 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Sao Carlos
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Sao Carlos Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,003

/mo nomad

Sao Carlos

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,003

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Sao Carlos

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

A single person spends $2,003 per month in Montreal vs $1,003 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

Montreal $2,003
Sao Carlos $1,003

A couple spends around $3,048 per month in Montreal vs $1,742 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

Montreal $3,048
Sao Carlos $1,742

A family of three spends $4,092 per month in Montreal vs $2,480 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

Montreal $4,092
Sao Carlos $2,480

Montreal costs about 100% more than Sao Carlos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montreal sits 49% above the global median, while Sao Carlos is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.31 CA$27.52

$5.15 R$25.69

274.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 CA$108

$40.83 R$204

84.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 CA$15.15

$7.16 R$35.74

48.46%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.60

$2.09 R$10.42

88.04%

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

$1.92 CA$2.73

$1.35 R$6.74

42.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.11

$0.75 R$3.75

97.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 CA$8.98

$1.63 R$8.14

286.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 CA$10.24

$2.74 R$13.70

162.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.17

$1.37 R$6.81

62.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 CA$4.36

$1.97 R$9.83

55.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.19

$1.87 R$9.32

57.22%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$5.03

$2.88 R$14.36

22.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 CA$18.79

$12.62 R$63.0

4.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 CA$16.02

$5.42 R$27.04

107.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 CA$19.69

$9.53 R$47.59

44.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.85

$2.68 R$13.40

26.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.06

$1.90 R$9.50

-24.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.65

$1.81 R$9.04

80.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.10

$1.91 R$9.55

50.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.65

$1.67 R$8.34

11.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.60

$1.43 R$7.14

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.46

$0.98 R$4.87

147.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.17

$1.16 R$5.80

31.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 CA$16.32

$3.15 R$15.74

263.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 CA$14.76

$8.61 R$42.96

20.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.16

$1.47 R$7.32

51.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$4.02

$2.95 R$14.75

-4.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.58 CA$3.67

$1.01 R$5.06

155.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.9 CA$110

$23.73 R$118

224.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.64

$1.49 R$7.42

118.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.11

$0.97 R$4.86

52.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.04 CA$47.09

$3.64 R$18.16

807.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.94

$1.22 R$6.08

11.48%

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

$27.4K CA$39.1K

$20.4K R$101.9K

34.42%

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

$20.0K CA$28.5K

$31.9K R$159.2K

-37.36%

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

$76.1 CA$109

$63.2 R$316

20.42%

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

$34.68 CA$49.43

$13.95 R$69.7

148.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.69 CA$60.9

$24.86 R$124

71.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.94 CA$41.26

$34.12 R$170

-15.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.97

$48.34 R$241

-57.94%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.98

$5.42 R$27.07

106.83%

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

$505 CA$720

$297 R$1,481

70.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.8K

$2,987 R$14.9K

436.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 CA$83.4

$84.3 R$421

-30.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.00 CA$54.2

$97.3 R$486

-60.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 CA$132

$139 R$693

-33.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$151

$164 R$819

-35.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 CA$1,768

$268 R$1,336

363.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 CA$1,405

$235 R$1,172

320.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 CA$2,996

$671 R$3,349

213.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CA$2,302

$661 R$3,300

144.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,043 CA$7,188

$849 R$4,237

494.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,830 CA$5,459

$750 R$3,744

410.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,920 CA$4,163

$693 R$3,460

321.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.46

10.75

-58.51%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Last update for Sao Carlos: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$986 47.9%

Sao Carlos

$235 23.8% 76.2% $751

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$344 16.7%

Sao Carlos

$244 24.7% 29.1% $100

Eating Out

Montreal

$293 14.2%

Sao Carlos

$110 11.1% 62.5% $183

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$154 7.5%

Sao Carlos

$102 10.3% 33.5% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.5%

Sao Carlos

$218 22.1% 64.2% $85

Getting Around

Montreal

$98 4.8%

Sao Carlos

$34 3.5% 65.1% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$51 2.5%

Sao Carlos

$45 4.6% 12.5% $6.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,240 in Montreal versus $268 in Sao Carlos. 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 321% 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 $75.0 in Montreal versus $41.00 in Sao Carlos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $244 – making Sao Carlos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇧🇷 Sao Carlos

🕒 Local time

07:54 7:54 AM

08:54 8:54 AM

1 h ahead of Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

254,857

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.59 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montreal Sao Carlos 7,930 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Sao Carlos

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 Sao Carlos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 100% more than Sao Carlos, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,005 per month in Montreal and $1,505 in Sao Carlos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 41% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Montreal and $41.00 in Sao Carlos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Carlos, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Montreal at $2,003. In Sao Carlos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sao Carlos costs $1,003 versus $2,003 in Montreal. 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 Sao Carlos. 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.