Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Torrance, CA and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $3,520 in Torrance, CA, rent and utilities included – about $18,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

172

Cost of Living Index in Torrance, CA
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Torrance, CA Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Torrance, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,520

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,520 per month in Torrance, CA vs $2,018 in Montreal, rent included.

Torrance, CA $3,520
Montreal $2,018

A couple spends around $5,192 per month in Torrance, CA vs $3,085 in Montreal, rent included.

Torrance, CA $5,192
Montreal $3,085

A family of three spends $6,864 per month in Torrance, CA vs $4,152 in Montreal, rent included.

Torrance, CA $6,864
Montreal $4,152

Torrance, CA costs about 74% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Torrance, CA and Montreal sit above the global median – Torrance, CA by 161%, Montreal by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.76 $24.76

$18.82 CA$26.61

31.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$70.3 CA$99.4

11.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.75 $14.75

$10.66 CA$15.06

38.37%

Cappuccino

$4.66 $4.66

$3.84 CA$5.43

21.35%

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

$3.77 $3.77

$1.92 CA$2.71

96.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.54 CA$2.18

77.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$6.23 CA$8.81

29.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$7.10 CA$10.03

38.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$2.31 CA$3.27

-44.16%

White Bread (500g)

$4.70 $4.70

$3.14 CA$4.44

49.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.21 CA$4.54

52.34%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$3.52 CA$4.97

26.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.62 $11.62

$12.81 CA$18.11

-9.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.07 $16.07

$11.46 CA$16.20

40.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 $19.91

$13.39 CA$18.92

48.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$3.14 CA$4.43

59.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.44 CA$2.03

61.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.47 CA$4.91

36.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$3.07 CA$4.34

80.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.90 CA$2.69

61.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.77 CA$2.50

77.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.34 CA$3.31

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.55 CA$2.19

69.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.92 $12.92

$11.38 CA$16.09

13.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$10.63 CA$15.03

40.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.27 CA$3.21

8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.82 CA$3.99

8.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.66 CA$3.76

-25.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.40 $40.40

$77.3 CA$109

-47.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.20 CA$4.53

-2.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.48 CA$2.09

24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.67 $32.67

$32.88 CA$46.48

-0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.34 CA$1.90

8.96%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.2K CA$39.8K

30.63%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$19.6K CA$27.8K

35.19%

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

$256 $256

$76.0 CA$107

237.01%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$33.95 CA$48.00

56.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$42.31 CA$59.8

70.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 $59.3

$29.76 CA$42.07

99.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.36 $25.36

$20.28 CA$28.67

25.05%

Cinema Ticket

$19.95 $19.95

$11.15 CA$15.77

78.92%

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

$1,694 $1,694

$507 CA$717

234.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K $15.1K

$16.1K CA$22.7K

-6.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 $64.5

$57.6 CA$81.4

12.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 $63.7

$37.58 CA$53.1

69.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$91.9 CA$130

16.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 $192

$110 CA$155

75.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,612 $2,612

$1,260 CA$1,782

107.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 $1,941

$948 CA$1,340

104.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,298 $4,298

$2,137 CA$3,021

101.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,426 $3,426

$1,614 CA$2,281

112.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,546 $7,546

$4,960 CA$7,011

52.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,336 $6,336

$3,838 CA$5,425

65.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,675 $5,675

$2,827 CA$3,997

100.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

4.48

42.63%

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

Last update for Torrance, CA: 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

Torrance, CA

$1.9K 55.1%

Montreal

$948 47% 51.2% $993

Groceries & Markets

Torrance, CA

$461 13.1%

Montreal

$346 17.2% 24.9% $115

Eating Out

Torrance, CA

$384 10.9%

Montreal

$288 14.3% 25.1% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Torrance, CA

$381 10.8%

Montreal

$152 7.5% 60.1% $229

Clothing & Footwear

Torrance, CA

$192 5.5%

Montreal

$133 6.6% 30.6% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Torrance, CA

$99 2.8%

Montreal

$52 2.6% 47.5% $47

Getting Around

Torrance, CA

$61 1.7%

Montreal

$99 4.9% 62.7% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,612 in Torrance, 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 101% higher in Torrance, 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 $79.0 in Torrance, CA versus $70.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $461 vs $346 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Torrance, CA

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

09:57 9:57 AM

12:57 12:57 PM

3 h ahead of Torrance, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

142,350

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 →

On the map

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Between locations

Torrance, CA Montreal 3,990 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Torrance, CA
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

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

Torrance, CA costs about 74% 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 $5,280 per month in Torrance, 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 33% more in Torrance, 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 $79.0 in Torrance, 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 Torrance, CA at $3,520. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Torrance, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,018 versus $3,520 in Torrance, 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, Torrance, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.