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Mexico City vs Montreal cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฒ๐ฝ Mexico City
๐จ๐ฆ Montreal
At a glance
- Where Mexico City is clearly cheaper: Transit (90%โ), Laundry (63%โ), Entry ticket (63%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Montreal is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.8). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Mexico City 3 vs Montreal 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Mexico City | Montreal | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | MX$ 160$8.6 | C$ 22$16.2 | Mexico City โ47% |
| Street food1 item | MX$ 75$4.03 | C$ 12$8.82 | Mexico City โ54% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | MX$ 450$24.2 | C$ 45$33.1 | Mexico City โ27% |
| Coffeeone cup | MX$ 70$3.76 | C$ 5.5$4.04 | Mexico City โ7% |
| Beerone bottle | MX$ 60$3.23 | C$ 9$6.62 | Mexico City โ51% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | MX$ 200$10.8 | C$ 20$14.7 | Mexico City โ27% |
| Bottled water | MX$ 15$0.81 | C$ 2.3$1.69 | Mexico City โ52% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | MX$ 25$1.34 | C$ 2.8$2.06 | Mexico City โ35% |
| Taxi5 km in town | MX$ 100$5.38 | C$ 17$12.5 | Mexico City โ57% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | MX$ 65$3.49 | C$ 10$7.35 | Mexico City โ52% |
| Transitone ride | MX$ 5$0.27 | C$ 3.75$2.76 | Mexico City โ90% |
| Scooter rentalper day | MX$ 272$14.6 | C$ 40$29.4 | Mexico City โ50% |
| Hotel night3-star | MX$ 1,900$102 | C$ 190$140 | Mexico City โ27% |
| Studio rent (month) | MX$ 19,000$1,022 | C$ 1,680$1,235 | Mexico City โ17% |
| Laundry | MX$ 30$1.61 | C$ 6$4.41 | Mexico City โ63% |
| SIM card1 week data | MX$ 200$10.8 | C$ 35$25.7 | Mexico City โ58% |
| Haircutcut | MX$ 180$9.68 | C$ 32$23.5 | Mexico City โ59% |
| Massage1 hour | MX$ 700$37.6 | C$ 95$69.9 | Mexico City โ46% |
| Half-day tourper person | MX$ 600$32.3 | C$ 100$73.5 | Mexico City โ56% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | MX$ 120$6.45 | C$ 24$17.6 | Mexico City โ63% |
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, Mexico City or Montreal?
Mexico City is 31% cheaper than Montreal. Daily budget $177 vs $266; a month $3,443 vs $4,773.
Which is easier to travel, Mexico City or Montreal?
Montreal is easier: Montreal 1.6/5 vs Mexico City 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Mexico City and Montreal?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Mexico City is about $3,443 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.