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Montreal vs New York cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐จ๐ฆ Montreal
๐บ๐ธ New York
At a glance
- Where Montreal is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (63%โ), Scooter rental (57%โ), Hotel night (48%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Montreal 1 vs New York 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Montreal | New York | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 22$16.2 | $ 20$20 | Montreal โ19% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | $ 10$10 | Montreal โ12% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 45$33.1 | $ 55$55 | Montreal โ40% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 5.5$4.04 | $ 6$6 | Montreal โ33% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | $ 9$9 | Montreal โ26% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 20$14.7 | $ 19$19 | Montreal โ23% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.3$1.69 | $ 2$2 | Montreal โ15% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 2.8$2.06 | $ 3$3 | Montreal โ31% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | $ 23$23 | Montreal โ46% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | $ 14$14 | Montreal โ47% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 3.75$2.76 | $ 3$3 | Montreal โ8% |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | $ 68$68 | Montreal โ57% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 190$140 | $ 270$270 | Montreal โ48% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,680$1,235 | $ 3,300$3,300 | Montreal โ63% |
| Laundry | C$ 6$4.41 | $ 4.5$4.5 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | $ 30$30 | Montreal โ14% |
| Haircutcut | C$ 32$23.5 | $ 42$42 | Montreal โ44% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 95$69.9 | $ 100$100 | Montreal โ30% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 80$80 | Montreal โ8% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 24$17.6 | $ 30$30 | Montreal โ41% |
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, Montreal or New York?
Montreal is 49% cheaper than New York. Daily budget $266 vs $467; a month $4,773 vs $10,297.
Which is easier to travel, Montreal or New York?
About the same: Montreal 1.6/5, New York 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Montreal and New York?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Montreal is about $4,773 and New York about $10,297 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.