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Los Angeles vs Montreal cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐บ๐ธ Los Angeles
๐จ๐ฆ Montreal
At a glance
- Where Montreal is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (41%โ), Entry ticket (37%โ), Convenience store (31%โ)
- Where Los Angeles is clearly cheaper: Transit (37%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Montreal is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Los Angeles 2 vs Montreal 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Los Angeles | Montreal | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 18$18 | C$ 22$16.2 | Montreal โ10% |
| Street food1 item | $ 11$11 | C$ 12$8.82 | Montreal โ20% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 48$48 | C$ 45$33.1 | Montreal โ31% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 5.5$5.5 | C$ 5.5$4.04 | Montreal โ26% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 9$9 | C$ 9$6.62 | Montreal โ26% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 17$17 | C$ 20$14.7 | Montreal โ13% |
| Bottled water | $ 2$2 | C$ 2.3$1.69 | Montreal โ15% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 3$3 | C$ 2.8$2.06 | Montreal โ31% |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 18$18 | C$ 17$12.5 | Montreal โ31% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 10$10 | C$ 10$7.35 | Montreal โ26% |
| Transitone ride | $ 1.75$1.75 | C$ 3.75$2.76 | Los Angeles โ37% |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 35$35 | C$ 40$29.4 | Montreal โ16% |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 200$200 | C$ 190$140 | Montreal โ30% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 2,100$2,100 | C$ 1,680$1,235 | Montreal โ41% |
| Laundry | $ 4$4 | C$ 6$4.41 | Los Angeles โ9% |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 26$26 | C$ 35$25.7 | similar |
| Haircutcut | $ 30$30 | C$ 32$23.5 | Montreal โ22% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 75$75 | C$ 95$69.9 | Montreal โ7% |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 75$75 | C$ 100$73.5 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 28$28 | C$ 24$17.6 | Montreal โ37% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Los Angeles or Montreal?
Montreal is 31% cheaper than Los Angeles. Daily budget $368 vs $266; a month $7,222 vs $4,773.
Which is easier to travel, Los Angeles or Montreal?
Montreal is easier: Montreal 1.6/5 vs Los Angeles 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Los Angeles and Montreal?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Los Angeles is about $7,222 and Montreal about $4,773 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.