Which place is cheaper, Montreal or Beijing?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Beijing or Montreal?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Beijing and Montreal can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Beijing or Montreal?
Beijing
Beijing is the capital of China and, with 21.5 million people, it is the second most populated city in the world after Shanghai. It is a city that keeps pockets of its history hidden in old neighborhoods or back alleys, despite the constant change and modernization that goes on around it. As the capital city of China, there is plenty of history and culture. You can still get yourself lost in one of the last remaining hutongs, which are old neighborhoods that remain untouched by the city's modernization. The alleys that weave between the old homes are lined with drying clothes, corner markets, and people going about their daily lives the way they have for centuries. Surrounding these hutongs you'll find modern buildings and a booming economy, all threatening to destroying these last bits of Beijing's history. Beijing offers a glimpse into a microcosm that represents the entire country of China. Make sure you give yourself enough time in China to truly experience Beijing. You can pass a lot of time soaking up life in the city, which remains as diverse as the country it resides within.
Montreal
While Quebec City is the political capital of Quebec Province, Montreal is the economic and cultural capital. It's also the second largest city in Canada, with a population of about 1.9 million and 4 million in the metropolitan area. It's the second largest French speaking city in the world behind Paris.
Montreal is a very trendy and vibrant city with an active nightlife and countless activities to enjoy. It's located on an island in the St. Lawrence River and has a humid continental climate. There are four distinct seasons. Summers are warm or hot and humid. Spring and fall are mild and winters are cold and snowy. You can expect about 2 meters of snow every year, but there are also more than 2,000 hours of sunshine annually.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBeijing $77Montreal $210
The average daily cost (per person) in Beijing is $77, while the average daily cost in Montreal is $210. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Beijing and Montreal in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBeijing $39Montreal $132
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBeijing $78Montreal $264
Compare Hotels in Beijing and Montreal
Looking for a hotel in Beijing or Montreal? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Montreal Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Beijing $7.63Montreal $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Beijing
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Beijing:
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Taxi$4.71
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Train from Airport for Two$6.90
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Taxi to Hotel$8.28
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2 Metro Passes$2.21
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Metro$0.55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beijing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Beijing:
- Private Beijing Downtown Transfer for 10 hours Up to 30pax: $850
- Private Beijing Downtown Transfer for 10 hours Up to 15pax: $490
- Private Beijing Downtown Transfer for 10 hours Up to 5pax: $380
- Beijing Layover Tour with Hutong, Temple of Heaven and Airport Transfer: $296
- Beijing to Zun Hua Explore Qing Emperor's Tombs By Car Transfer : $285
- 1 Day Pass for Universal Beijing and Private Transfer Package: $265
- Private Transfer to Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace with A Guide: $259
- Beijing Great Wall and Imperial Palace Private Tour with Airport Transfer: $256
- 1-Day Bejing Layover Tour:Mutianyu Great Wall,Forbidden City & Airport Transfers: $250
- Private Transfer from Tianjin Cruise port to Mutianyu Great Wall of China : $221
- Private Transfer from Tianjin Cruise Port to Beijing with stop at Great Wall : $221
- Beijing Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 15 pax: $220
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montreal
Also for Montreal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 8 Passengers Transfer from or to Montreal Airport YUL to Montreal City Center : $223
- Departure Private Transfer: Montreal to Montreal Airport YUL in Business Car: $117
- Departure Private Transfer: Montreal to Montreal Airport YUL in Luxury SUV: $163
- Departure Transfer Montreal to Montreal Airport by Limos or Bus: $153
- Downtown Direct: Montreal's Exclusive Airport Transfer: $79
- Le Terminal Cruise Port to Québec Airport YQB Departure Transfer: $57
- Montreal Best Private Transfer services : $82
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Business Car: $117
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Luxury SUV: $163
- Arrival Transfer from International Airport: $65
- Private Departure Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL: $116
- Private One-way Montreal Airport Transfer To/From Montreal: $58
Is it cheaper to fly into Beijing or Montreal?
Prices for flights to both Montreal and Beijing change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBeijing $21Montreal $36
Typical Food Prices in Beijing
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Beijing:
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Popcorn$0.83
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Hot Pot Dinner$6.90
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Dumpling Breakfast for Two$2.76
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Watermelon$1.93
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Peking Duck Dinner for 2$16
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Two Popsicles$0.83
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beijing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Beijing.
- Online Cooking Class Handmade Noodles by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Beijing Dumplings and Cuisine by Sunflowerli Renowned Chef : $20
- Online Cooking Class Orange Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Deal 20% off Beijing Nango HotSpring Water World with Dinner: $38
- Beijing Acrobatic Show Tickets w/ Optional Dinner or Transfer: $48
- 3.5-Hour Walking Food Tour: A Bite of History at Beijing Niujie Street: $49
- Beijing Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $55
- Temple of Heaven Private Tour w/Option Show &Dinner: $60
- 3 hours Morning or Afternoon Tea Tasting on Maliandao Street and Tea Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Tour: $69
- Mogolian Hot Pot Dinner with no limit soft drink and local beer .: $70
- Old Beijing Dinner Tour: $80
- Acrobatic Show with Peking Duck Dinner Private Tour: $80
Typical Food Prices in Montreal
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Montreal:
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Tim Hortons breakfast and coffee$9.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montreal
For Montreal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Le Bateau-Mouche À La Carte Menu Dinner Cruise: $59
- No Diet Club: Walking food Tour with many tastings: $59
- Beyond the Market Food Tour by Spade & Palacio: $74
- Montreal Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $74
- Old Montreal Food & Drink Tour by Local Montreal Food Tours: $103
- Cooking Class and Tasting Menu with Michelin Chef: $130
- Montréal: 5-Course Dinner Cruise with Music & VIP Option: $160
- Personalized Private Food Tour with a Local Foodie: $207
- Cooking Class in Montreal with a Michelin-Star Trained Chef: $224
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Beijing $24Montreal $21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Beijing
Here are a few typical costs in Beijing for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Summer Palace for Two$8.28
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Two Opera Tickets$59
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Temple of Heaven Park Entrance (for 2)$9.66
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Forbidden City (for 2)$17
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Forbidden City Tickets$17
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Audio Guides at Forbidden City$11
Tours and Activities in Beijing
Here are a few actual costs in Beijing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1-Day Mutianyu Great Wall and Beijing Airport Drop off Tour: $235
- All Inclusive Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace Private Tour: $188
- All Inclusive Private Summer Palace, Mutianyu Great Wall Day Tour: $204
- Beijing 2 Summer Palace Private Garden Tour: $140
- Beijing Art Tour: Seeing Fantastic Ming Murals at Fa Hai Temple : $220
- Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall with English Driver : $100
- Beijing Private Tour of Ming Tombs, Summer Palace, Bird's Nest and Water Cube: $297
- China Art Museum and 798 Art Zone Private Tour: $137
- Classic One Day Beijing Tour: $240
- Forbidden City Tour : $110
- Full Day Private Tour Incredible Beijing City Highlights: $179
- Mutianyu Great Wall And Ming Tomb Private One Day Tour: $205
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montreal
For Montreal, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Botanical Gardens (family of 4)$54
Tours and Activities in Montreal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Montreal.
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Montreal self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.31
- Montréal's Mile End to Outremont: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.54
- Escape Game and Tour: $8.61
- APP Self-Guided Tours Montreal with Audioguide: $8.74
- Montreal Art Center & Museum Audio Guided Tour: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- McCord Stewart Museum : Entry Ticket: $15
- Montreal Zipline Adventure: $15
- Self-Guided Old Town Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour: $15
- Montreal Old Port: Urban Zipline Ticket: $16
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBeijing $12Montreal $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Beijing
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Beijing:
- Beijing Brewery Bike Tour: $99
- Evening Food Private Tour with Brewery Taproom Hopping at Slow Boat in Beijing: $110
- Private Tour-Drum Tower, Hutong Food Taste and Local Brewery Beer: $150
- Full Day Private Chateau Changyu Wine Tour from Beijing: $162
- 5-Hour Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour from Beijing: $178
- Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour and Mutianyu Great Wall Visit: $238
Typical Alcohol Prices in Montreal
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Montreal:
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Vodka$18
Sample the Local Flavors in Montreal
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Montreal:
- Haunted Montreal Pub Crawl: $22
- Guided Bar Crawl with Free Shots and Club Entry: $42
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Beijing and Montreal, we can see that Montreal is more expensive. And not only is Beijing much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Beijing is in Asia and Montreal is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Beijing would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Beijing and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Montreal would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montreal than you might in Beijing.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Beijing Expensive? and Is Montreal Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Beijing or Montreal?
Beijing has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Montreal. When comparing the sizes of Beijing and Montreal, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Beijing or Montreal?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Beijing or Montreal in the Summer?
Both Montreal and Beijing during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Beijing in the summer for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
Beijing is a little warmer than Montreal in the summer. The daily temperature in Beijing averages around 27°C (80°F) in July, and Montreal fluctuates around 21°C (69°F).
In Montreal, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Beijing. In the summer, Beijing often gets less sunshine than Montreal. Beijing gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 276 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Beijing. Beijing usually gets more rain in July than Montreal. Beijing gets 176 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyBeijing 27°C (80°F)Montreal 21°C (69°F)
Should I visit Beijing or Montreal in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Beijing and Montreal. Most visitors come to Beijing for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
In the autumn, Beijing is much warmer than Montreal. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Beijing in October average around 14°C (56°F), and Montreal averages at about 8°C (47°F).
In Beijing, it's very sunny this time of the year. Beijing usually receives more sunshine than Montreal during autumn. Beijing gets 227 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 141 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Beijing usually receives less rain than Montreal. Beijing gets 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberBeijing 14°C (56°F)Montreal 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Beijing or Montreal in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Beijing as well as Montreal. The winter months attract visitors to Beijing because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
It's quite cold in Montreal in the winter. The weather in Beijing can be very cold. In January, Beijing is generally much warmer than Montreal. Daily temperatures in Beijing average around -4°C (26°F), and Montreal fluctuates around -10°C (14°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Beijing this time of the year. In the winter, Beijing often gets more sunshine than Montreal. Beijing gets 201 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 103 hours of full sun.
Beijing usually gets less rain in January than Montreal. Beijing gets 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryBeijing -4°C (26°F)Montreal -10°C (14°F)
Should I visit Beijing or Montreal in the Spring?
Both Montreal and Beijing are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The activities around the city and the natural beauty are the main draw to Beijing this time of year.
Beijing is much warmer than Montreal in the spring. The daily temperature in Beijing averages around 14°C (57°F) in April, and Montreal fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Beijing. Beijing usually receives more sunshine than Montreal during spring. Beijing gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 183 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Beijing usually receives less rain than Montreal. Beijing gets 26 mm (1 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilBeijing 14°C (57°F)Montreal 6°C (43°F)
Typical Weather for Montreal and Beijing
| Beijing | Montreal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -4°C (26°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | -10°C (14°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Feb | -1°C (30°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | -9°C (16°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 6°C (42°F) | 9 mm (0.4 in) | -2°C (28°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Apr | 14°C (57°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| May | 20°C (68°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Jun | 25°C (76°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (80°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Aug | 25°C (78°F) | 182 mm (7.2 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Sep | 20°C (69°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (56°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (41°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 2°C (35°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Dec | -1°C (29°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | -7°C (20°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.