Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix, AZ and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,003 a month against $2,970 in Phoenix, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in Phoenix, AZ
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Phoenix, AZ Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Phoenix, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,970

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,003

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phoenix, AZ and in Montreal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phoenix, AZ and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,970 per month in Phoenix, AZ vs $2,003 in Montreal, rent included.

Phoenix, AZ $2,970
Montreal $2,003

A couple spends around $4,233 per month in Phoenix, AZ vs $3,048 in Montreal, rent included.

Phoenix, AZ $4,233
Montreal $3,048

A family of three spends $5,495 per month in Phoenix, AZ vs $4,092 in Montreal, rent included.

Phoenix, AZ $5,495
Montreal $4,092

Phoenix, AZ costs about 48% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phoenix, AZ and Montreal sit above the global median – Phoenix, AZ by 122%, Montreal by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 $20.10

$19.31 CA$27.46

4.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.1 $84.1

$75.5 CA$107

11.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.67 $14.67

$10.63 CA$15.11

38.01%

Cappuccino

$6.01 $6.01

$3.93 CA$5.58

52.93%

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

$3.15 $3.15

$1.92 CA$2.73

64.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.48 CA$2.11

60.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$6.30 CA$8.96

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$7.19 CA$10.22

14.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.22 CA$3.16

-61.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.06 CA$4.35

33.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.94 CA$4.18

117.69%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$3.53 CA$5.02

22.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 $14.05

$13.19 CA$18.76

6.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.69 $13.69

$11.24 CA$15.98

21.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 $14.54

$13.81 CA$19.65

5.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$3.40 CA$4.84

59.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.44 CA$2.05

36.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$3.26 CA$4.64

26.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.88 CA$4.09

107.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.86 CA$2.64

94.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.82 CA$2.60

67.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.43 CA$3.45

-5.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.52 CA$2.17

67.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.64 $10.64

$11.45 CA$16.29

-7.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.36 CA$14.73

41.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.22 CA$3.15

7.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.82 CA$4.01

11.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.58 CA$3.66

-24.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 $63.5

$76.9 CA$109

-17.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.25 CA$4.63

-16.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.48 CA$2.11

-5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.78 $35.78

$33.04 CA$46.99

8.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.36 CA$1.93

-12.50%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$27.4K CA$39.0K

33.65%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$20.0K CA$28.4K

31.26%

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

$233 $233

$76.1 CA$108

206.14%

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

$78.9 $78.9

$34.68 CA$49.32

127.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 $76.4

$42.69 CA$60.7

78.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 $66.0

$28.94 CA$41.17

127.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.36 $19.36

$20.33 CA$28.91

-4.77%

Cinema Ticket

$13.81 $13.81

$11.21 CA$15.94

23.19%

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

$1,830 $1,830

$505 CA$718

262.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K $22.8K

$16.0K CA$22.8K

42.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 $62.9

$58.5 CA$83.2

7.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 $43.12

$38.00 CA$54.1

13.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$92.7 CA$132

18.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$106 CA$150

26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 $1,785

$1,240 CA$1,764

43.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 $1,421

$986 CA$1,402

44.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,257 $3,257

$2,102 CA$2,990

54.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 $2,126

$1,615 CA$2,297

31.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,706 $4,706

$5,043 CA$7,173

-6.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,074 $3,074

$3,830 CA$5,447

-19.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,189 $4,189

$2,920 CA$4,154

43.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

4.46

48.65%

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

Last update for Phoenix, AZ: October 4, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phoenix, AZ

$1.4K 48.6%

Montreal

$986 47.9% 30.6% $435

Groceries & Markets

Phoenix, AZ

$436 14.9%

Montreal

$344 16.7% 21.2% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phoenix, AZ

$388 13.3%

Montreal

$154 7.5% 60.5% $235

Eating Out

Phoenix, AZ

$346 11.8%

Montreal

$293 14.2% 15.4% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Phoenix, AZ

$158 5.4%

Montreal

$133 6.5% 15.7% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Phoenix, AZ

$94 3.2%

Montreal

$51 2.5% 45.1% $42

Getting Around

Phoenix, AZ

$81 2.8%

Montreal

$98 4.8% 20.7% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,785 in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,240 in Montreal. 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 43% higher in Phoenix, AZ, 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 $84.0 in Phoenix, AZ versus $75.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $436 vs $344 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Phoenix, AZ

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

04:21 4:21 AM

07:21 7:21 AM

3 h ahead of Phoenix, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,608,139

1,762,949

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.627 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.627 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Phoenix, AZ Montreal 3,530 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Phoenix, AZ
Montreal

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

Phoenix, AZ vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phoenix, AZ costs about 48% more than Montreal, 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 $4,456 per month in Phoenix, AZ and $3,005 in Montreal. 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.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Phoenix, AZ, 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 $84.0 in Phoenix, AZ and $75.0 in Montreal. 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 $2,003, than in Phoenix, AZ at $2,970. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phoenix, AZ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,003 versus $2,970 in Phoenix, AZ. 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, Phoenix, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.