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Montreal vs Prague

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Montreal, CA vs Prague, CZ at a glance — Prague, CZ is 18% cheaper than Montreal, CA overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $950/mo versus $1,150/mo. Top income tax: 23% vs 33%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Prague, CZ, you'd need

$61,330 / year

Prague, CZ is 18% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Prague, CZ vs Montreal, CA)

  • Housing-14%
  • Food & groceries-26%
  • Transport-25%
  • Utilities+2%
  • Healthcare-19%
  • Goods & services-22%

◎ How Montreal, CA and Prague, CZ compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Montreal, CAPrague, CZ

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Montreal, CAPrague, CZ
Cost of living
Overall cost index9981
Housing10288
Food10678
Transport8060
Utilities98100
Healthcare8065
Goods & services10582
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,150/mo$950/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$900/mo$720/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$2,200/mo$1,800/mo
Buy price / m² centre$5,500$5,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$1,011$1,236
Inexpensive meal$18$9
Monthly transit pass$70$25
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)33%23%
VAT / sales tax5%21%
Corporate tax26.5%21%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$3,300/mo$1,400/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)$67,901✓$43,607✓
Minimum wage$1,900/mo$1,070/mo✓
GDP per capita$55,698✓$31,368✓
Inflation (annual)2.1%✓2.4%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaYesYes
English proficiencyHighModerate
Coworking spaces5040
Time zoneUTC-5UTC+1
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)7173
Safety index7275
Healthcare index7875
Pollution index3540
Internet speed180 Mbps150 Mbps
Walkability7882
Public transport7885
Family-friendly7470
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Life expectancy82 yr✓80 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighModerate
Climate
January avg-9 °C0 °C
July avg+21 °C+19 °C
Sunny days / year160170
Rainfall / year1,000 mm500 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub2 h1 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Canada vs Czech Republic. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Montreal vs Prague — in your currency

MontrealPrague
1-bed rent, city centre$1,150$950
1-bed rent, outside centre$900$720
Inexpensive meal$18$9
Monthly transit pass$70$25
Utilities (monthly)$110$200

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Montreal

A bilingual, European-flavoured metropolis and the most affordable of Canada's big cities — rents well below Toronto or Vancouver, a huge festival and food culture, and cheap universities. The catch is the long, brutally cold winter and Quebec's French-first bureaucracy.

Currency
Canadian dollar ($ CAD)
Languages
English, French
Time zone
UTC-5
Internet
180 Mbps
English
Widely spoken
Safety
72/100
Climate
❄ -9°C · ☀ 21°C · 160 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Plateau-Mont-Royal · Mile End · Griffintown · Rosemont

Good to know before you move to Prague

A fairy-tale capital of Gothic spires and Baroque squares that doubles as one of Central Europe's biggest expat and IT hubs — Western-quality living at noticeably lower prices, though rents have climbed fast.

Currency
Czech koruna (Kč CZK)
Languages
Czech
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
150 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
75/100
Climate
❄ 0°C · ☀ 19°C · 170 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
E · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Vinohrady · Žižkov · Karlín · Malá Strana

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Montreal to Prague: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Montreal to Prague, your cost of living will be roughly 18% cheaper. Prague’s cost-of-living index is 81 versus 99 for Montreal (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Montreal cheaper than Prague?

Prague is about 18% cheaper than Montreal overall — its cost-of-living index is 81 versus 99 for Montreal.

Which is more expensive, Montreal or Prague?

Montreal is more expensive than Prague. Its cost-of-living index is 99 vs 81 (US = 100) — about 22% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Montreal or Prague?

Rent is cheaper in Prague — about $950/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,150 in Montreal.

How much do you need to earn in Prague to live like in Montreal?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Montreal is worth about $61,330 in Prague. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Montreal or Prague?

Czech Republic has the lower top income-tax rate — 23% versus 33% in Canada.

◷ More comparisons from Montreal

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.