Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Salvador and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in San Salvador: $1,666 a month against $2,003 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in San Salvador
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San Salvador Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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San Salvador

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,666

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,003

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,666 per month in San Salvador vs $2,003 in Montreal, rent included.

San Salvador $1,666
Montreal $2,003

A couple spends around $2,465 per month in San Salvador vs $3,048 in Montreal, rent included.

San Salvador $2,465
Montreal $3,048

A family of three spends $3,263 per month in San Salvador vs $4,092 in Montreal, rent included.

San Salvador $3,263
Montreal $4,092

San Salvador is about 17% cheaper than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Salvador and Montreal sit above the global median – San Salvador by 24%, Montreal by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.72 $6.72

$19.31 CA$27.46

-65.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.39 $45.39

$75.5 CA$107

-39.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 $7.07

$10.63 CA$15.11

-33.49%

Cappuccino

$3.53 $3.53

$3.93 CA$5.58

-10.18%

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

$1.13 $1.13

$1.92 CA$2.73

-41.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.48 CA$2.11

-42.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 $2.04

$6.30 CA$8.96

-67.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$7.19 CA$10.22

-51.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.22 CA$3.16

-15.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.06 CA$4.35

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$2.94 CA$4.18

-52.38%

Eggs

$3.09 $3.09

$3.53 CA$5.02

-12.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 $7.88

$13.19 CA$18.76

-40.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 $6.93

$11.24 CA$15.98

-38.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 $10.05

$13.81 CA$19.65

-27.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.40 CA$4.84

49.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.44 CA$2.05

-3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.26 CA$4.64

-22.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.88 CA$4.09

18.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.86 CA$2.64

54.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$1.82 CA$2.60

80.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.43 CA$3.45

-60.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.52 CA$2.17

-36.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 $4.07

$11.45 CA$16.29

-64.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 $12.21

$10.36 CA$14.73

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.22 CA$3.15

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.82 CA$4.01

1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$2.58 CA$3.66

-86.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.66 $37.66

$76.9 CA$109

-51.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 $6.04

$3.25 CA$4.63

85.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.48 CA$2.11

104.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.11 $20.11

$33.04 CA$46.99

-39.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.36 CA$1.93

-5.15%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$27.4K CA$39.0K

-9.75%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$20.0K CA$28.4K

35.02%

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

$130 $130

$76.1 CA$108

71.40%

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

$21.57 $21.57

$34.68 CA$49.32

-37.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.03 $43.03

$42.69 CA$60.7

0.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.99 $31.99

$28.94 CA$41.17

10.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.57 $21.57

$20.33 CA$28.91

6.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 $5.06

$11.21 CA$15.94

-54.86%

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

$165 $165

$505 CA$718

-67.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,640 $4,640

$16.0K CA$22.8K

-71.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 $68.2

$58.5 CA$83.2

16.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 $46.79

$38.00 CA$54.1

23.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$92.7 CA$132

29.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$106 CA$150

10.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$906 $906

$1,240 CA$1,764

-26.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 $755

$986 CA$1,402

-23.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 $1,804

$2,102 CA$2,990

-14.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 $1,343

$1,615 CA$2,297

-16.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,813 $2,813

$5,043 CA$7,173

-44.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,845 $1,845

$3,830 CA$5,447

-51.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$372 $372

$2,920 CA$4,154

-87.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

4.46

90.58%

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

Last update for San Salvador: October 6, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Salvador

$755 46.1%

Montreal

$986 47.9% 30.6% $231

Groceries & Markets

San Salvador

$287 17.5%

Montreal

$344 16.7% 19.9% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Salvador

$195 11.9%

Montreal

$154 7.5% 21.3% $42

Clothing & Footwear

San Salvador

$158 9.7%

Montreal

$133 6.5% 16.1% $26

Eating Out

San Salvador

$142 8.7%

Montreal

$293 14.2% 106% $150

Getting Around

San Salvador

$60 3.7%

Montreal

$98 4.8% 62.5% $38

Sport & Entertainment

San Salvador

$42 2.6%

Montreal

$51 2.5% 21.9% $9.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $906 in San Salvador 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 684% 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 $45.00 in San Salvador versus $75.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $344 – making San Salvador the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇻 San Salvador

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

00:52 12:52 AM

02:52 2:52 AM

2 h ahead of San Salvador

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

316,090 Capital

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 = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.627 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Salvador Montreal 3,830 km ≈ 5 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 Salvador vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 20% more than San Salvador, 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 $2,499 per month in San Salvador 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 San Salvador, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $45.00 in San Salvador 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 San Salvador, where all-in costs run around $1,666, than in Montreal at $2,003. In San Salvador it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Salvador costs $1,666 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 San Salvador. 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.