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Montreal vs Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia
At a glance
- Where Philadelphia is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (25%โ)
- Where Montreal is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (41%โ), Haircut (29%โ), Local meal (26%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Philadelphia is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: language โ Montreal 2 vs Philadelphia 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Montreal | Philadelphia | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 22$16.2 | $ 22$22 | Montreal โ26% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | $ 12$12 | Montreal โ26% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 45$33.1 | $ 42$42 | Montreal โ21% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 5.5$4.04 | $ 5.1$5.1 | Montreal โ21% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | $ 6.5$6.5 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 20$14.7 | $ 14$14 | similar |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.3$1.69 | $ 2$2 | Montreal โ15% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 2.8$2.06 | $ 2.8$2.8 | Montreal โ26% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | $ 15$15 | Montreal โ17% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | $ 9$9 | Montreal โ18% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 3.75$2.76 | $ 2.9$2.9 | Montreal โ5% |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | $ 35$35 | Montreal โ16% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 190$140 | $ 175$175 | Montreal โ20% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,680$1,235 | $ 1,550$1,550 | Montreal โ20% |
| Laundry | C$ 6$4.41 | $ 4$4 | Philadelphia โ9% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | $ 25$25 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 32$23.5 | $ 33$33 | Montreal โ29% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 95$69.9 | $ 90$90 | Montreal โ22% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 55$55 | Philadelphia โ25% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 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 Philadelphia?
Montreal is 21% cheaper than Philadelphia. Daily budget $266 vs $336; a month $4,773 vs $6,015.
Which is easier to travel, Montreal or Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is easier: Philadelphia 1.4/5 vs Montreal 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Montreal and Philadelphia?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Montreal is about $4,773 and Philadelphia about $6,015 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.