Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Tarija

For one person, living is cheaper in Tarija: $430 a month against $2,067 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,067

/mo nomad

Tarija

🇧🇴 Bolivia

$430

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Tarija

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

A single person spends $2,067 per month in Montreal vs $430 in Tarija, rent included.

Montreal $2,067
Tarija $430

A couple spends around $3,179 per month in Montreal vs $495 in Tarija, rent included.

Montreal $3,179
Tarija $495

A family of three spends $4,291 per month in Montreal vs $560 in Tarija, rent included.

Montreal $4,291
Tarija $560

Montreal costs about 381% more than Tarija, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montreal sits 53% above the global median, while Tarija is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.89 CA$26.48

$2.29 BOB 27.26

724.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 CA$102

$8.19 BOB 97.7

785.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 CA$15.13

$3.81 BOB 45.37

183.20%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.58

$1.55 BOB 18.46

156.77%

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

$2.02 CA$2.83

$0.90 BOB 10.71

124.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.29

$0.57 BOB 6.74

185.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 CA$8.86

$1.03 BOB 12.26

513.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 CA$9.90

$1.38 BOB 16.45

411.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.27

$0.49 BOB 5.87

375.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CA$4.55

$0.75 BOB 8.88

333.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.58

$0.52 BOB 6.18

526.92%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.87

$1.74 BOB 20.72

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.25

$3.26 BOB 38.91

321.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.09

$2.76 BOB 32.87

315.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 CA$19.99

$3.99 BOB 47.59

257.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.94

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CA$2.04

$1.08 BOB 12.86

35.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.78

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.49

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.71

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CA$2.50

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.22

$0.75 BOB 8.97

110.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.51 CA$16.13

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 CA$14.82

$2.33 BOB 27.78

353.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CA$3.29

$1.31 BOB 15.59

79.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.66

$0.14 BOB 1.67

1764.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.5 CA$110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$0.46 BOB 5.52

589.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$0.56 BOB 6.73

166.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.49 CA$46.94

$3.14 BOB 37.40

966.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$0.61 BOB 7.23

122.95%

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

$28.0K CA$39.3K

$12.4K BOB 148.3K

125.16%

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

$21.1K CA$29.6K

$16.2K BOB 193.4K

30.29%

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

$77.6 CA$109

$22.76 BOB 271

240.86%

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

$35.63 CA$49.94

$19.03 BOB 227

87.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.73 CA$61.3

$22.01 BOB 262

98.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.07 CA$42.16

$21.81 BOB 260

37.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.97 CA$27.99

Cinema Ticket

$11.27 CA$15.80

$4.10 BOB 48.93

174.88%

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

$522 CA$732

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K CA$24.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$82.7

$27.19 BOB 324

116.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.01 CA$54.7

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 CA$140

$31.42 BOB 375

217.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$154

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 CA$1,820

$217 BOB 2,590

497.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 CA$1,360

$160 BOB 1,910

505.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 CA$3,257

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 CA$2,368

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,004 CA$7,014

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,736 CA$5,237

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,943 CA$4,125

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

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

Last update for Montreal: November 3, 2026

Last update for Tarija: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$970 47%

Tarija

–

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$357 17.3%

Tarija

–

Eating Out

Montreal

$292 14.1%

Tarija

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$157 7.6%

Tarija

–

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$138 6.7%

Tarija

–

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.8%

Tarija

–

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$53 2.6%

Tarija

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,298 in Montreal versus $217 in Tarija. 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 $73 in Montreal versus $8 in Tarija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $84 – making Tarija the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇧🇴 Tarija

🕒 Local time

02:32 2:32 AM

03:32 3:32 AM

1 h ahead of Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

108,241

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Bolivian Boliviano BOB Bs.

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.635 EUR

100 BOB = 8.39 USD

100 BOB = 7.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BOB, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

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).

Bolivian Boliviano exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 11.92 BOB (100 BOB = 8.39 USD). 1 EUR = 13.39 BOB (100 BOB = 7.47 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Montreal Tarija 7,510 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Tarija

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 Tarija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 381% more than Tarija, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,100 per month in Montreal and $645 in Tarija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tarija, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $217 there versus $1,298 in Montreal.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,067 in Montreal and $430 in Tarija. That makes Tarija about 79% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 327% more in Montreal, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Tarija, where all-in costs run around $430, than in Montreal at $2,067. In Tarija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $430 in Tarija to $2,067 in Montreal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.