A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Key West vs. Montreal for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Key West or Montreal?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Key West 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: Key West or Montreal?

Key West

Key West is both a city and an island as well as the southern most Florida Key. It is also the southern most city in the continental United States. The island is only about four miles long and one mile wide. The total land mass covers just 4.2 square miles. The most famous street in town is Duval Street, which runs just 1.1 miles from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. There are 14 blocks. The size of the island doubled during the 1950s when many of the salt ponds along the eastern side of the island were filled in.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City, The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Montreal or Key West?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Key West is $551, while the average daily cost in Montreal is $209. 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 Key West and Montreal in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Key West $132
    Montreal $131
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Key West $264
    Montreal $262
Compare Hotels in Key West and Montreal

Looking for a hotel in Key West 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.

Hotels in Key West


Hotels in Montreal


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: Key West Hotel Prices and Montreal Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Key West $51
    Montreal $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Key West

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Key West:


  • Rental Car for One Day
    $38

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Key West

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Key West:

  • Private Arrival Transfer from Key West Airport EYW: $144
  • Key West Airport (EYW) to Key West - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $129
  • Key West Int Airport (EYW) to Key West hotels Round-Trip Transfer: $129
  • Marathon/ Key Largo to Fort Lauderdale Airport(FLL) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
  • Key West Int Airport (EYW) to Key West - Arrival Private Transfer: $64
  • Key West to Key West Airport (EYW) - Departure Private Transfer: $64
  • Key West hotels to Key West Int Airport (EYW) Departure Transfer: $64
  • Private Transfer from Key West Int Airport to Key West Port: $38
  • Private Transfer from Key West Cruise Port to Key West hotels: $38

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montreal

Also for Montreal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Montreal Cruise Port to Montreal City: $36
  • Private Transfer: Montreal City Center to Pierre E.T. Airport-YUL: $48
  • Le Terminal Cruise Port to Québec Airport YQB Departure Transfer: $57
  • Private One-way Montreal Airport Transfer To/From Montreal: $58
  • Arrival Transfer from International Airport: $65
  • Transfer in private vehicle from Montreal CityCenter- to Montreal Airport (YUL): $67
  • Downtown Direct: Montreal's Exclusive Airport Transfer: $79
  • Montreal Best Private Transfer services : $82
  • Private Transfer: Montreal to Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport (YUL): $87
  • Private Departure Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL: $116
  • Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Business Car: $117
  • Departure Private Transfer: Montreal to Montreal Airport YUL in Business Car: $117

Is it cheaper to fly into Key West or Montreal?

Prices for flights to both Montreal and Key West 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 day
    Key West $385
    Montreal $36

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Key West

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Key West.

  • Sunset Dinner Cruise with Open Bar & Live Music: $81
  • Key West Sunset Cruise: Dinner and Drinks Included: $93
  • Southernmost Food & Cultural Walking Tour by Key West Food Tours: $93
  • Historic Seaport Food & Walking Tour by Key West Food Tours: $93
  • Old Town Secret Food Tour: $107
  • Sunset Sail Full Bar, Live Music & Dinner & Early Morning Snorkeling: $160
  • Snorkeling, Sunset Dinner Cruise & Open Bar: $200

Typical Food Prices in Montreal

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Montreal:


  • Tim Hortons breakfast and coffee
    $8.97

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montreal

For Montreal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Cooking Class and Tasting Menu with Michelin Chef: $50
  • Le Bateau-Mouche À La Carte Menu Dinner Cruise: $58
  • 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
  • Montréal: 5-Course Dinner Cruise with Music & VIP Option: $160
  • Personalized Private Food Tour with a Local Foodie: $206
  • Cooking Class in Montreal with a Michelin-Star Trained Chef: $224

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Key West $33
    Montreal $21

Tours and Activities in Key West

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Key West are as follows:

  • Key West Kayak Eco Tour | An Eco-Friendly Adventure Awaits!: $56
  • Private E-Pedicab 1 Hour Sightseeing Ride of Old Town Key West: $100
  • Southernmost Ghosts Tour: $33
  • 2-Hour Live Music Guided Tour in Key West: $35
  • A Self-Guided Tour of Key West's Legends and Sights: $24
  • Adults only Sunset Cruise from Key West with Champagne: $81
  • Bahama Village Walking Tour: $30
  • Best of Key West Walking Tour with Glass Bottom Boat Cruise: $229
  • Best of Key West with Glass Bottom Boat Cruise: $294
  • Champagne Sunset Catamaran Cruise in Key West with Cocktails!: $60
  • Cruise Through Key West's Black History Audio Tour: $11
  • Dark Corners of Key West – Walking Tour: $352

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)
    $53

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: $3.21
  • Montreal self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.28
  • Montréal's Mile End to Outremont: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
  • Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.49
  • Escape Game and Tour: $8.56
  • APP Self-Guided Tours Montreal with Audioguide: $8.74
  • Montreal Art Center & Museum Audio Guided Tour: $10
  • 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
  • Making Their Mark: Montreal Jewish History Walking Tour: $22

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Key West $16
    Montreal $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Key West

Also in Key West, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $30
  • Key West Haunted Pub Crawl and Ghost Tour with Free T-Shirt: $32
  • Bone Island Haunted Pub Crawl: $32
  • 2.5-Hour Duval Street Pub Crawl: $43

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
  • Guided Bar Crawl with Free Shots and Club Entry: $42


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Key West and Montreal, we can see that Key West is more expensive. And not only is Montreal much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Montreal would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Montreal 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 Key West would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Key West than you might in Montreal.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Key West Expensive? and Is Montreal Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Key West or Montreal?

Montreal has a larger population, and is about 130 times larger than the population of Key West. When comparing the sizes of Key West 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 Key West 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 Key West or Montreal in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Key West as well as Montreal. The beaches, snorkeling, the small town charm, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Key West this time of year.

In the summer, Key West is a little warmer than Montreal. Typically, the summer temperatures in Key West in July average around 84°F (29°C), and Montreal averages at about 21°C (69°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montreal. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Key West this time of the year. In the summer, Key West often gets more sunshine than Montreal. Key West gets 328 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 276 hours of full sun.

Key West usually gets less rain in July than Montreal. Key West gets 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain, while Montreal receives 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Key West 84°F (29°C) 
    Montreal 21°C (69°F)

Should I visit Key West or Montreal in the Autumn?

Both Montreal and Key West are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Key West for the shopping scene, the small town atmosphere, and the natural beauty of the area.

In October, Key West is generally much warmer than Montreal. Daily temperatures in Key West average around 80°F (27°C), and Montreal fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Key West. Key West usually receives more sunshine than Montreal during autumn. Key West gets 258 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 141 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It's quite rainy in Key West. In October, Key West usually receives more rain than Montreal. Key West gets 5.1 inches (129 mm) of rain, while Montreal receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn. June to November is the hurricane season in Key West.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Key West 80°F (27°C) 
    Montreal 8°C (47°F)

Should I visit Key West or Montreal in the Winter?

Both Montreal and Key West during the winter are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Key West in the winter for the shopping scene and the cuisine.

Montreal can be very cold during winter. Key West is much warmer than Montreal in the winter. The daily temperature in Key West averages around 70°F (21°C) in January, and Montreal fluctuates around -10°C (14°F).

It's quite sunny in Key West. In the winter, Key West often gets more sunshine than Montreal. Key West gets 252 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 103 hours of full sun.

Key West usually gets less rain in January than Montreal. Key West gets 1.7 inches (43 mm) of rain, while Montreal receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Key West 70°F (21°C) 
    Montreal -10°C (14°F)

Should I visit Key West or Montreal in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Key West and Montreal. Most visitors come to Key West for the beaches, the small town charm, and the natural beauty during these months.

In the spring, Key West is much warmer than Montreal. Typically, the spring temperatures in Key West in April average around 77°F (25°C), and Montreal averages at about 6°C (43°F).

In Key West, it's very sunny this time of the year. Key West usually receives more sunshine than Montreal during spring. Key West gets 326 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 183 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Key West usually receives less rain than Montreal. Key West gets 0.8 inches (21 mm) of rain, while Montreal receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the spring. June to November in Key West is the hurricane season.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Key West 77°F (25°C) 
    Montreal 6°C (43°F)

Typical Weather for Montreal and Key West

Key West Montreal
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 70°F (21°C) 1.7 inches (43 mm) -10°C (14°F) 74 mm (2.9 in)
Feb 71°F (21°C) 1.4 inches (36 mm) -9°C (16°F) 65 mm (2.6 in)
Mar 74°F (23°C) 1.7 inches (42 mm) -2°C (28°F) 74 mm (2.9 in)
Apr 77°F (25°C) 0.8 inches (21 mm) 6°C (43°F) 78 mm (3.1 in)
May 81°F (27°C) 2.7 inches (68 mm) 13°C (55°F) 75 mm (3 in)
Jun 83°F (28°C) 4.5 inches (114 mm) 18°C (64°F) 87 mm (3.4 in)
Jul 84°F (29°C) 3.3 inches (83 mm) 21°C (69°F) 91 mm (3.6 in)
Aug 84°F (29°C) 3.9 inches (98 mm) 19°C (67°F) 104 mm (4.1 in)
Sep 83°F (29°C) 5.7 inches (144 mm) 14°C (58°F) 90 mm (3.5 in)
Oct 80°F (27°C) 5.1 inches (129 mm) 8°C (47°F) 79 mm (3.1 in)
Nov 76°F (24°C) 2 inches (50 mm) 2°C (35°F) 101 mm (4 in)
Dec 72°F (22°C) 1.4 inches (35 mm) -7°C (20°F) 99 mm (3.9 in)