Which place is cheaper, Montreal or Cape Town?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Cape Town or Montreal?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cape Town or Montreal? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Cape Town or Montreal?
Cape Town
Picture your travel bucket list. Is Cape Town on it? Yes, most people dream of visiting the "Mother City" of South Africa. As one of the most iconic places in the world, Cape Town is a world-class cosmopolitan city full of bustling nightlife, historical backdrops and a large gay community.
Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa with seasons turned upside down. In the southern hemisphere they experience the summer from December to February. During these months days can be hot and dry so be sure to gather in the shade and wear plenty of sunscreen. The winter from June to August is full of rainy days and cold nights.
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 Camping Tours in South Africa, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa, The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCape Town $98Montreal $210
The average daily cost (per person) in Cape Town is $98, 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 Cape Town and Montreal in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCape Town $39Montreal $132
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCape Town $78Montreal $264
Compare Hotels in Cape Town and Montreal
Looking for a hotel in Cape Town 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: Cape Town Hotel Prices and Montreal Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cape Town $17Montreal $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From 3-Day Safari and Coastal Tour with Transfer: $508
- From Group Transfer Only to Aquilla Game Reserve: $459
- Big 5 Aquila Safari Private Transfer with Park Fee From Cape Town: $300
- Jeep Dune Adventure Tour, Sandboarding & Transfer: $279
- Shark Cage Diving & Penguins Tour to Gansbaai with private transfers: $273
- Aquila Safari Game Drive, Lunch & Shared Transfers from Cape Town: $251
- Whale Watching In Hermanus with Private Transfer: $250
- Pvt Airport to Hout Bay Transfer: $243
- Full Day Private Chauffeur and Transfer Services in Cape Town: $240
- 1 Day Hemel en Aarde Whale Coast Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $204
- Cape Town:- Airport to Table View One way Transfer: $189
- Hermanus: Airport Transfer: $184
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montreal
Also for Montreal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer in private vehicle from Montreal CityCenter- to Montreal Airport (YUL): $67
- Transfer in private minivan from Montreal City Center to Pierre Elliott Airport: $73
- Private Transfer: Montreal to Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport (YUL): $87
- Private Transfer: Montreal City Center to Pierre E.T. Airport-YUL: $48
- Private Transfer from Montreal Cruise Port to Montreal City: $36
- Private One-way Montreal Airport Transfer To/From Montreal: $58
- Private Departure Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL: $38
- One Way Private transfer from Montreal Airport to/ from Montreal: $84
- Private Departure Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL: $116
- Arrival Transfer from International Airport: $65
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Luxury Van: $170
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Luxury SUV: $163
Is it cheaper to fly into Cape Town or Montreal?
Prices for flights to both Montreal and Cape Town 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
-
Food Meals for one dayCape Town $42Montreal $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $41
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $43
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $55
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $56
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $59
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $61
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $61
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $62
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $70
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $76
- South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
- Private Authentic Cape Malay Cooking Class in Manenberg with Locals: $92
Typical Food Prices in Montreal
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Montreal:
-
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
- Mile End Montreal Original Food Tour - by Local Montreal Tours: $89
- 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
- The 10 Tastings of Montreal Private Walking Food Tour : $298
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cape Town $23Montreal $21
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope day tour Up to 10 persons: $66
- Cape Town - Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens and City Tour: $280
- Cape Town Woodstock Street Art Walking Tour: $30
- Day Tour in Robben Island, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain : $166
- Mandela's Robben Island Museum Bo-Kaap Cape Town City Tour + Ferry ticket f/d: $166
- Penguins Private Tour- Cape of Good Hope & Cape Point Tour from Cape Town: $114
- Private Tour Cape of Good Hope with Penguins : $155
- Private Tour to Robben Island and Cape Point in Cape Town: $121
- South African Traditional Braai (BBQ) Experience & Winetasting : $138
- ( Cape Town Private Tour ) Hermanus Whale Watching Full Day : $251
- ( Cape town ) Private Winelands Tasting Full Day Tour: $173
- ( Cape town Private Tour ) Hermanus Shark Cage Diving : $252
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montreal
For Montreal, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Botanical Gardens (family of 4)$54
Tours and Activities in Montreal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Montreal.
- 1 Hour Downtown Montreal Tour: $29
- 1 Hour Tour of Old-Montreal in Vintage Convertible Cadillac: $220
- 2 hour Tour of The Montreal Bagel: $44
- 3 Days 2 Nights Tour in New York: $300
- 3 Hour Montreal City Bike Tour with Wine or Beer (AM & PM): $64
- 3-Hour Scooter Sightseeing in Montreal: $79
- 3Hr Montreal Architecture Bike Tour with regular or E-bikes Beer & wine included: $64
- APP Self-Guided Tours Montreal with Audioguide: $8.76
- AURA experience at Notre-Dame Basilica and guided cruise: $73
- All about Montreal's Murals - Saturday Walking Tour: $24
- Awesome Curling Experience : $82
- Best of Montreal Small Group Tour with River Cruise + Notre Dame: $211
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayCape Town $21Montreal $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Cape Town
Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Distillery Tour, rum and gin tasting: $7.17
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.66
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $24
- Wine Tasting & Storytelling with SA Tapas add-on: $28
- Sip 15 Wines on a 3-Region Wine Tour with Cheese: $38
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $38
- Three Region Wine Tour: $44
- Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $47
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $51
- Fullday Wine Tour: $51
- From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $52
Typical Alcohol Prices in Montreal
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Montreal:
-
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
- 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 Cape Town and Montreal, we can see that Montreal is more expensive. And not only is Cape Town much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cape Town is in Africa 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 Cape Town would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cape Town 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 Cape Town.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cape Town Expensive? and Is Montreal Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cape Town or Montreal?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 5% larger than the population of Montreal. When comparing the sizes of Cape Town 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 Cape Town or Montreal?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Cape Town is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Montreal has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Cape Town or Montreal in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Cape Town and Montreal.
In the summer, Cape Town is around the same temperature as Montreal. Typically, the summer temperatures in Cape Town in January average around 21°C (70°F), and Montreal averages at about 21°C (69°F)in July.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Montreal this time of the year. In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. Cape Town usually receives more sunshine than Montreal during summer. Cape Town gets 338 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 276 hours of full sun in the summer.
In January, Cape Town usually receives less rain than Montrealin July. Cape Town gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
-
Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyCape Town 21°C (70°F)Montreal 21°C (69°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Montreal in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Cape Town as well as Montreal.
In April, Cape Town is generally much warmer than Montrealin October. Daily temperatures in Cape Town average around 18°C (64°F), and Montreal fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cape Town this time of the year. In the autumn, Cape Town often gets more sunshine than Montrealin October. Cape Town gets 233 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 141 hours of full sun.
Cape Town usually gets less rain in April than Montrealin October. Cape Town gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberCape Town 18°C (64°F)Montreal 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Montreal in the Winter?
Both Montreal and Cape Town are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.
Montreal can be very cold during winter. Cape Town is much warmer than Montreal in the winter. The daily temperature in Cape Town averages around 13°C (55°F) in July, and Montreal fluctuates around -10°C (14°F)in January.
Cape Town usually receives more sunshine than Montreal during winter. Cape Town gets 193 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 103 hours of full sun in the winter.
In July, Cape Town usually receives more rain than Montrealin January. Cape Town gets 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain each month for the winter.
-
Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryCape Town 13°C (55°F)Montreal -10°C (14°F)
Should I visit Cape Town or Montreal in the Spring?
Both Montreal and Cape Town during the spring are popular places to visit.
In the spring, Cape Town is much warmer than Montreal. Typically, the spring temperatures in Cape Town in October average around 16°C (61°F), and Montreal averages at about 6°C (43°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. In the spring, Cape Town often gets more sunshine than Montrealin April. Cape Town gets 278 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 183 hours of full sun.
Cape Town usually gets less rain in October than Montrealin April. Cape Town gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilCape Town 16°C (61°F)Montreal 6°C (43°F)
Typical Weather for Montreal and Cape Town
| Cape Town | Montreal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | -10°C (14°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Feb | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | -9°C (16°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | -2°C (28°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Apr | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Jun | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jul | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Sep | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 2°C (35°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 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.