Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Carlos and Montreal

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.

48

Cost of Living Index in Sao Carlos
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Sao Carlos Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Sao Carlos

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,003

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,003

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Sao Carlos $1,003
Montreal $2,003

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

Sao Carlos $1,742
Montreal $3,048

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

Sao Carlos $2,480
Montreal $4,092

Sao Carlos is about 50% cheaper than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.15 R$25.69

$19.31 CA$27.52

-73.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.83 R$204

$75.5 CA$108

-45.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 R$35.74

$10.63 CA$15.15

-32.64%

Cappuccino

$2.09 R$10.42

$3.93 CA$5.60

-46.82%

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

$1.35 R$6.74

$1.92 CA$2.73

-29.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R$3.75

$1.48 CA$2.11

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 R$8.14

$6.30 CA$8.98

-74.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 R$13.70

$7.19 CA$10.24

-61.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 R$6.81

$2.22 CA$3.17

-38.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 R$9.83

$3.06 CA$4.36

-35.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 R$9.32

$2.94 CA$4.19

-36.39%

Eggs

$2.88 R$14.36

$3.53 CA$5.03

-18.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.62 R$63.0

$13.19 CA$18.79

-4.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.42 R$27.04

$11.24 CA$16.02

-51.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 R$47.59

$13.81 CA$19.69

-30.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 R$13.40

$3.40 CA$4.85

-21.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 R$9.50

$1.44 CA$2.06

31.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.04

$3.26 CA$4.65

-44.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 R$9.55

$2.88 CA$4.10

-33.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.34

$1.86 CA$2.65

-10.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.14

$1.82 CA$2.60

-21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 R$4.87

$2.43 CA$3.46

-59.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R$5.80

$1.52 CA$2.17

-23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 R$15.74

$11.45 CA$16.32

-72.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.61 R$42.96

$10.36 CA$14.76

-16.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 R$7.32

$2.22 CA$3.16

-33.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R$14.75

$2.82 CA$4.02

4.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.06

$2.58 CA$3.67

-60.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.73 R$118

$76.9 CA$110

-69.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 R$7.42

$3.25 CA$4.64

-54.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 R$4.86

$1.48 CA$2.11

-34.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 R$18.16

$33.04 CA$47.09

-88.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R$6.08

$1.36 CA$1.94

-10.29%

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

$20.4K R$101.9K

$27.4K CA$39.1K

-25.60%

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

$31.9K R$159.2K

$20.0K CA$28.5K

59.65%

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

$63.2 R$316

$76.1 CA$109

-16.96%

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

$13.95 R$69.7

$34.68 CA$49.43

-59.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.86 R$124

$42.69 CA$60.9

-41.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.12 R$170

$28.94 CA$41.26

17.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.34 R$241

$20.33 CA$28.97

137.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 R$27.07

$11.21 CA$15.98

-51.65%

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

$297 R$1,481

$505 CA$720

-41.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,987 R$14.9K

$16.0K CA$22.8K

-81.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 R$421

$58.5 CA$83.4

44.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$97.3 R$486

$38.00 CA$54.2

156.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 R$693

$92.7 CA$132

49.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 R$819

$106 CA$151

55.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 R$1,336

$1,240 CA$1,768

-78.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 R$1,172

$986 CA$1,405

-76.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 R$3,349

$2,102 CA$2,996

-68.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 R$3,300

$1,615 CA$2,302

-59.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$849 R$4,237

$5,043 CA$7,188

-83.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$750 R$3,744

$3,830 CA$5,459

-80.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$693 R$3,460

$2,920 CA$4,163

-76.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.75

4.46

141.03%

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

Last update for Sao Carlos: October 5, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Sao Carlos

$244 24.7%

Montreal

$344 16.7% 41% $100

Accommodation & Living

Sao Carlos

$235 23.8%

Montreal

$986 47.9% 320% $751

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Carlos

$218 22.1%

Montreal

$133 6.5% 39.1% $85

Eating Out

Sao Carlos

$110 11.1%

Montreal

$293 14.2% 167% $183

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Carlos

$102 10.3%

Montreal

$154 7.5% 50.4% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Carlos

$45 4.6%

Montreal

$51 2.5% 14.2% $6.4

Getting Around

Sao Carlos

$34 3.5%

Montreal

$98 4.8% 187% $64

Cost Breakdown

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

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Carlos

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

08:51 8:51 AM

07:51 7:51 AM

1 h behind Sao Carlos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

254,857

1,762,949

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

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).

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).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Sao Carlos
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

Sao Carlos vs Montreal: 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 $1,505 per month in Sao Carlos 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 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 $41.00 in Sao Carlos and $75.0 in Montreal. 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.