Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between SeaTac, WA and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $3,199 in SeaTac, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

SeaTac, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,199
/mo nomad
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,199 per month in SeaTac, WA vs $2,018 in Montreal, rent included.

  • SeaTac, WA $3,199
  • Montreal $2,018

A couple spends around $4,502 per month in SeaTac, WA vs $3,085 in Montreal, rent included.

  • SeaTac, WA $4,502
  • Montreal $3,085

A family of three spends $5,806 per month in SeaTac, WA vs $4,152 in Montreal, rent included.

  • SeaTac, WA $5,806
  • Montreal $4,152

SeaTac, WA costs about 59% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both SeaTac, WA and Montreal sit above the global median – SeaTac, WA by 137%, Montreal by 49%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
SeaTac, WA
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.20 $25.20
$18.82 CA$26.61
33.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.3 $81.3
$70.3 CA$99.4
15.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.93 $11.93
$10.66 CA$15.06
11.91%
Cappuccino
$5.60 $5.60
$3.84 CA$5.43
45.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.92 CA$2.71
69.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$1.54 CA$2.18
33.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 $3.93
$6.23 CA$8.81
-36.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 $5.91
$7.10 CA$10.03
-16.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
SeaTac, WA
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$2.31 CA$3.27
-50.65%
White Bread (500g)
$4.05 $4.05
$3.14 CA$4.44
28.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.34 $3.34
$3.21 CA$4.54
4.05%
Eggs
$7.05 $7.05
$3.52 CA$4.97
100.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.77 $14.77
$12.81 CA$18.11
15.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.22 $14.22
$11.46 CA$16.20
24.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.37 $17.37
$13.39 CA$18.92
29.72%
Apples (1kg)
$5.37 $5.37
$3.14 CA$4.43
71.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 $1.67
$1.44 CA$2.03
15.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.29 $4.29
$3.47 CA$4.91
23.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.61 $4.61
$3.07 CA$4.34
50.16%
Potato (1kg)
$2.23 $2.23
$1.90 CA$2.69
17.37%
Onion (1kg)
$3.03 $3.03
$1.77 CA$2.50
71.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.82 $1.82
$2.34 CA$3.31
-22.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.17 $3.17
$1.55 CA$2.19
104.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.28 $12.28
$11.38 CA$16.09
7.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 $18.19
$10.63 CA$15.03
71.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 $1.77
$2.27 CA$3.21
-22.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$2.82 CA$3.99
-29.79%
🚌 Getting Around
SeaTac, WA
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 $2.66
$2.66 CA$3.76
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.6 $89.6
$77.3 CA$109
15.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.54 $2.54
$3.20 CA$4.53
-20.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.48 CA$2.09
14.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.11 $30.11
$32.88 CA$46.48
-8.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 $1.44
$1.34 CA$1.90
7.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K $36.2K
$28.2K CA$39.8K
28.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K $27.3K
$19.6K CA$27.8K
39.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
SeaTac, WA
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$227 $227
$76.0 CA$107
198.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$61.7 $61.7
$33.95 CA$48.00
81.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$82.2 $82.2
$42.31 CA$59.8
94.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
SeaTac, WA
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.17 $35.17
$29.76 CA$42.07
18.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.01 $20.01
$20.28 CA$28.67
-1.33%
Cinema Ticket
$17.63 $17.63
$11.15 CA$15.77
58.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
SeaTac, WA
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,120 $2,120
$507 CA$717
318.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.3K $32.3K
$16.1K CA$22.7K
101.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
SeaTac, WA
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.02 $49.02
$57.6 CA$81.4
-14.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.17 $22.17
$37.58 CA$53.1
-41.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.4 $63.4
$91.9 CA$130
-30.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$46.85 $46.85
$110 CA$155
-57.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
SeaTac, WA
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,292 $2,292
$1,260 CA$1,782
81.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,762 $1,762
$948 CA$1,340
85.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,882 $3,882
$2,137 CA$3,021
81.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,636 $2,636
$1,614 CA$2,281
63.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,016 $4,016
$4,960 CA$7,011
-19.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,930 $3,930
$3,838 CA$5,425
2.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
SeaTac, WA
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,146 $6,146
$2,827 CA$3,997
117.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.55
4.48
46.21%

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

Last update for SeaTac, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
SeaTac, WA
$1.8K
Montreal
$948 46.2% $815
Groceries & Markets
SeaTac, WA
$445
Montreal
$346 22.2% $99
Monthly Utilities & Internet
SeaTac, WA
$371
Montreal
$152 58.9% $218
Eating Out
SeaTac, WA
$357
Montreal
$288 19.4% $69
Getting Around
SeaTac, WA
$111
Montreal
$99 11.5% $13
Clothing & Footwear
SeaTac, WA
$82
Montreal
$133 63.4% $52
Sport & Entertainment
SeaTac, WA
$70
Montreal
$52 26.1% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,292 in SeaTac, WA 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 117% higher in SeaTac, WA, 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 $81.0 in SeaTac, WA versus $70.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $445 vs $346 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 SeaTac, WA
🇨🇦 Montreal
🕒 Local time
21:21 9:21 PM
00:21 12:21 AM
3 h ahead of SeaTac, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
31,454
1,762,949
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • SeaTac, WA Montreal 3,680 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • SeaTac, WA
  • 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
SeaTac, WA vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, SeaTac, WA or Montreal?
SeaTac, WA costs about 59% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in SeaTac, WA and in Montreal?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,798 per month in SeaTac, WA and $3,027 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, SeaTac, WA or Montreal?
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.
Are groceries more expensive in SeaTac, WA or in Montreal?
Groceries cost about 29% more in SeaTac, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in SeaTac, WA and in Montreal?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in SeaTac, WA and $70.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in SeaTac, WA or in Montreal?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,018, than in SeaTac, WA at $3,199. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in SeaTac, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, SeaTac, WA or Montreal?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,018 versus $3,199 in SeaTac, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is SeaTac, WA compared to Montreal?
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.
Should I move to SeaTac, WA or to Montreal?
If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, SeaTac, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

SeaTac, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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