Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Mateo, CA and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $4,419 in San Mateo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $28,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

215

Cost of Living Index in San Mateo, CA
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San Mateo, CA Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,419

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Mateo, CA 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 San Mateo, CA and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,419 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $2,018 in Montreal, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $4,419
Montreal $2,018

A couple spends around $6,644 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $3,085 in Montreal, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $6,644
Montreal $3,085

A family of three spends $8,868 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $4,152 in Montreal, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $8,868
Montreal $4,152

San Mateo, CA costs about 119% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Mateo, CA and Montreal sit above the global median – San Mateo, CA by 227%, Montreal by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$18.82 CA$26.61

5.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$70.3 CA$99.4

39.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 $12.87

$10.66 CA$15.06

20.73%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$3.84 CA$5.43

44.27%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.92 CA$2.71

60.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.54 CA$2.18

82.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 $8.31

$6.23 CA$8.81

33.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 $9.86

$7.10 CA$10.03

38.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.31 CA$3.27

-30.30%

White Bread (500g)

$5.96 $5.96

$3.14 CA$4.44

89.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$3.21 CA$4.54

86.29%

Eggs

$7.19 $7.19

$3.52 CA$4.97

104.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$12.81 CA$18.11

4.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$11.46 CA$16.20

66.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.87 $19.87

$13.39 CA$18.92

48.39%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.14 CA$4.43

92.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.44 CA$2.03

47.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.47 CA$4.91

12.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.86 $8.86

$3.07 CA$4.34

188.60%

Potato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.90 CA$2.69

128.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.77 CA$2.50

71.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.34 CA$3.31

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.55 CA$2.19

27.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 $11.94

$11.38 CA$16.09

4.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 $14.53

$10.63 CA$15.03

36.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.27 CA$3.21

-25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.82 CA$3.99

-31.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.66 CA$3.76

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

$77.3 CA$109

25.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.20 CA$4.53

26.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.48 CA$2.09

37.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.88 CA$46.48

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.34 CA$1.90

16.42%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.2K CA$39.8K

30.83%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$19.6K CA$27.8K

32.49%

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

$267 $267

$76.0 CA$107

251.22%

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

$41.54 $41.54

$33.95 CA$48.00

22.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 $62.4

$42.31 CA$59.8

47.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 $109

$29.76 CA$42.07

266.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.40 $9.40

$20.28 CA$28.67

-53.65%

Cinema Ticket

$18.35 $18.35

$11.15 CA$15.77

64.57%

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

$2,947 $2,947

$507 CA$717

481.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.8K $28.8K

$16.1K CA$22.7K

79.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 $63.6

$57.6 CA$81.4

10.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.52 $47.52

$37.58 CA$53.1

26.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$91.9 CA$130

27.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$110 CA$155

22.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,421 $3,421

$1,260 CA$1,782

171.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,741 $2,741

$948 CA$1,340

189.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,944 $5,944

$2,137 CA$3,021

178.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,128 $5,128

$1,614 CA$2,281

217.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K $13.8K

$4,960 CA$7,011

178.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,907 $8,907

$3,838 CA$5,425

132.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,501 $7,501

$2,827 CA$3,997

165.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

4.48

45.76%

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

Last update for San Mateo, CA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Mateo, CA

$2.7K 62%

Montreal

$948 47% 65.4% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

San Mateo, CA

$523 11.8%

Montreal

$346 17.2% 33.7% $176

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Mateo, CA

$371 8.4%

Montreal

$152 7.5% 58.9% $219

Eating Out

San Mateo, CA

$348 7.9%

Montreal

$288 14.3% 17.4% $61

Clothing & Footwear

San Mateo, CA

$163 3.7%

Montreal

$133 6.6% 18.2% $30

Sport & Entertainment

San Mateo, CA

$146 3.3%

Montreal

$52 2.6% 64.3% $94

Getting Around

San Mateo, CA

$127 2.9%

Montreal

$99 4.9% 22.6% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,421 in San Mateo, CA versus $1,260 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 165% higher in San Mateo, CA, 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 $98.0 in San Mateo, CA versus $70.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $523 vs $346 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Mateo, CA

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

10:46 10:46 AM

13:46 1:46 PM

3 h ahead of San Mateo, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,536

1,762,949

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

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).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

San Mateo, CA Montreal 4,090 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

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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

San Mateo, CA vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Mateo, CA costs about 119% 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 $6,628 per month in San Mateo, CA and $3,027 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 51% more in San Mateo, CA, 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 $98.0 in San Mateo, CA and $70.0 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 $2,018, than in San Mateo, CA at $4,419. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Mateo, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,018 versus $4,419 in San Mateo, CA. 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, San Mateo, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.