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Montreal Prices & Cost of Living 2026
Canada · Big city — Montreal is about 32% cheaper than New York. Not just exchange rates: what a fair price is, where it turns into a rip-off, and what that means in your money.
Montreal prices at a glance
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Montreal travel difficulty
Posted prices; sales tax and tip are added on top
French first, French-only signs, but most people speak English
24-hour 747 airport bus; the métro covers the centre
Cards everywhere; the 747 bus takes coins only on board
Generally safe; Berri-UQAM area has street disorder at night
Good to knowBuy the 747 fare at the airport machine by card — it's also a 24-hour transit pass
Handy apps: Uber
Visas depend on your passport, so they are not scored. Felt different on the ground? Tell other travelers below. Travel difficulty in the Americas › Difficulty ranking for 502 cities ›
In your money
Montreal is about 32% cheaper than New York
Based on 8 things travelers buy most, compared with New York. Each pair of bars is the same purchase in both cities, converted to your currency. Set your own city and currency in “My basis” above.
Montreal in numbers
- 🍜6.1 local meals
- ☕24 coffees
- 🍺15 beers
- 🚕8 5-km taxi rides
- 💆1.4 h of massage
- 🏨0.7 hotel nights
- Local meal57 min · New York 52 min
- Coffee14 min · New York 15 min
- Beer23 min · New York 23 min
- Taxi44 min · New York 59 min
- Coffee#159 priciest
- Taxi#151 priciest
- Restaurant dinner#147 priciest
- SIM card#44 priciest
- Cocktail & wine#45 priciest
Montreal price guide & rip-off thresholds
Montreal travel budget
Per person per day, estimated. Flights and shopping not included.
See 4-day, 1-week and 1-month budget tables › · Plan a multi-city trip budget ›
How to spend money in Montreal
Cards and contactless work everywhere.
15–20% of the pre-tax bill at restaurants.
Listed prices exclude tax; federal and provincial taxes are added at checkout.
Transit is decent in Vancouver and Toronto; Uber and Lyft operate.
No haggling.
Tap water is safe to drink.
Rare. Tax plus tip makes the bill 25–35% higher than the menu.
Live prices reported in Montreal
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FAQ
Is Montreal cheaper than New York?
Across 8 things travelers buy most (meals, coffee, beer, taxis, hotels…), Montreal is about 32% cheaper than New York. A local meal is about C$ 22 (≈ $16.2) and a coffee about C$ 5.5 (≈ $4.04).
How hard is Montreal to travel?
Averaging rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, Montreal scores 1.6/5 — 'easy'. Nothing stands out as hard. Tip: Buy the 747 fare at the airport machine by card — it's also a 24-hour transit pass
Is Montreal good for first-time travelers?
Yes — it is one of the easier places to travel (1.6/5). Buy the 747 fare at the airport machine by card — it's also a 24-hour transit pass
What is a realistic daily budget for Montreal?
Mid-range (3-star hotel, local meals plus a dinner out, two taxi rides) is about $266 a day. Guesthouses and street food bring it to about $98.9; 4-star and restaurants push it to about $549.
How much does it cost to live in Montreal for a month?
A short-term studio (about $2,799) plus food, transport and a SIM (about $1,974) comes to roughly $4,773 a month. A local long-term lease (studio about C$ 1,680) brings it down a lot.
How much should a taxi cost in Montreal?
For 5 km in town, expect C$ 13.6 – C$ 27.2; anything above C$ 32.6 is suspicious. Transit is decent in Vancouver and Toronto; Uber and Lyft operate.
Do you tip in Montreal?
15–20% of the pre-tax bill at restaurants. Listed prices exclude tax; federal and provincial taxes are added at checkout.
Can you use cards in Montreal?
Cards and contactless work everywhere.
Where do these numbers come from?
Base prices start from public cost-of-living data; once 3+ traveler reports come in, the app blends in the median of what people actually paid.
Fair range & rip-off line — each item gets its own spread (tight for transit, wide for street food). Above 1.2× the top of the fair range is flagged as a likely rip-off.
Budgets add up item prices for the lifestyle described above. Peak season and prime tourist spots run higher.
Exchange rate as of October 2026: 1 USD = C$ 1.36. Last updated 2026-10-05.