Popular cities
Montreal vs San Francisco 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 San Francisco
At a glance
- Where Montreal is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (63%โ), Entry ticket (50%โ), Street food (41%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: language โ Montreal 2 vs San Francisco 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Montreal | San Francisco | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 22$16.2 | $ 25$25 | Montreal โ35% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | $ 15$15 | Montreal โ41% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 45$33.1 | $ 55$55 | Montreal โ40% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 5.5$4.04 | $ 6.5$6.5 | Montreal โ38% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | $ 9$9 | Montreal โ26% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 20$14.7 | $ 17$17 | Montreal โ13% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.3$1.69 | $ 2.5$2.5 | Montreal โ32% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 2.8$2.06 | $ 3$3 | Montreal โ31% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | $ 16$16 | Montreal โ22% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | $ 11$11 | Montreal โ33% |
| Transitone ride | C$ 3.75$2.76 | $ 2.85$2.85 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | $ 45$45 | Montreal โ35% |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 190$140 | $ 200$200 | Montreal โ30% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,680$1,235 | $ 3,300$3,300 | Montreal โ63% |
| Laundry | C$ 6$4.41 | $ 5$5 | Montreal โ12% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | $ 25$25 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 32$23.5 | $ 38$38 | Montreal โ38% |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 95$69.9 | $ 110$110 | Montreal โ36% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | $ 70$70 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 24$17.6 | $ 35$35 | Montreal โ50% |
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 San Francisco?
Montreal is 45% cheaper than San Francisco. Daily budget $266 vs $391; a month $4,773 vs $10,400.
Which is easier to travel, Montreal or San Francisco?
About the same: Montreal 1.6/5, San Francisco 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Montreal and San Francisco?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Montreal is about $4,773 and San Francisco about $10,400 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.