Which place is cheaper, Montreal or Melbourne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Melbourne or Montreal?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Melbourne 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: Melbourne or Montreal?
Melbourne
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. It is also the capital city of the state of Victoria, in southeastern Australia. Melbourne is arguably the best city to experience culture and the arts in Australia. There is a friendly rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney over livability and popularity and Melbourne is definitely the city to visit for its parks, shopping, restaurants, galleries and theaters. Like Sydney, it is situated on the water, at the head of Port Phillip Bay. It's a beautiful city, and although it lacks the major sights that you'll find in Sydney such as the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, you will never find yourself lacking for entertainment. It is also a wonderful base for exploring many of the nearby highlights, including Grampians National Park, The Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island where you can view the penguin parade.
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 Water Sports Tour Packages in Australia, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia, The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelbourne $179Montreal $210
The average daily cost (per person) in Melbourne is $179, 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 Melbourne and Montreal in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelbourne $120Montreal $132
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelbourne $240Montreal $264
Compare Hotels in Melbourne and Montreal
Looking for a hotel in Melbourne 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: Melbourne Hotel Prices and Montreal Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melbourne $20Montreal $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melbourne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
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Airport Bus$11
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Tram Ride$2.51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melbourne
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Lake Mountain Ski Resort Tour with Transfers: $958
- Yarra Valley: Hot Air Balloon with Breakfast & CBD Transfers: $377
- Melbourne Airport (MEL): Private Transfer to Melbourne: $321
- MEL Airport: Minibus Private Transfer to Southbank: $215
- MEL Airport: Minibus Private Transfer to Melbourne CBD: $208
- Mornington Peninsula - Melbourne Airport Transfers: $198
- Melbourne Private Transfer to Melbourne Airport MEL in Luxury Car: $188
- Melbourne Airport MEL Private Transfer to Melbourne in Luxury Car: $188
- Ballarat - Melbourne Airport Transfers: $179
- Avalon Airport Transfers: $165
- Melbourne Private Transfer to Melbourne Airport MEL in Luxury Van: $163
- Departure Transfer from Melbourne to Melbourne Airport MEL in Van: $163
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
- 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: $116
- Arrival Transfer from International Airport: $65
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Luxury SUV: $163
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Business Car: $117
- Montreal Best Private Transfer services : $82
- Le Terminal Cruise Port to Québec Airport YQB Departure Transfer: $57
- Downtown Direct: Montreal's Exclusive Airport Transfer: $79
Is it cheaper to fly into Melbourne or Montreal?
Prices for flights to both Montreal and Melbourne 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 dayMelbourne $31Montreal $36
Typical Food Prices in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee$2.64
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Pizza$4.62
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Queen Victoria Market: 'Flavours of Australia' Food Tour: $52
- Eynesbury Homestead Dinner and Ghost Tour: $53
- Melbourne Sunset Kayaking Experience with Dinner: $79
- Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner: $79
- Melbourne Private Multicultural Markets Food Tour: $86
- Pizza Making Party: $89
- Chinese Dumpling Cooking Class with a Drink: $98
- Secret Food Tour: $109
- Chinese Cooking Class Master: $118
- Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise: $122
- Street Food of Asia Cooking Class: $130
- Choose Your Asian Cuisine Cooking Masterclass: $130
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.Melbourne $28Montreal $21
Tours and Activities in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Day Penguin Island Tour from Melbourne Penguins express: $79
- 1 day Puffing Billy Steam Train and Wildlife Tour from Melbourne: $125
- 1.5Hr Yarra River Crown Flames and City Lights Cruise: $317
- 12 Apostles Great Ocean Road Eco Tour with lunch from Melbourne: $109
- 2 Day Great Ocean Road Small Group Tour: $810
- 2-Hour Farm Experience in Gateway Yarra Valley: $66
- 2024 Mt Buller, Melbourne Snow and Sightseeing Day Tour: $92
- 3 Hour Rainforest Walking Tour in Badger Creek: $40
- 3-Day Great Ocean Road and Grampians Small-Group Tour: $1,504
- 3.5 Hours Group tour Melbourne trouble-makers tour: $44
- 3/4 Day Sports Lovers Bus Tour of Melbourne with Tour Options: $178
- 4 Hours Sightseeing Small Group Tour in Melbourne City: $40
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.
- 1 Hour Downtown Montreal Tour: $29
- 2 hour Tour of The Montreal Bagel: $44
- 3 Days 2 Nights Tour in New York: $300
- 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: $8.74
- 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
- Beyond the Basilica Walking Tour by Spade & Palacio: $54
- Christmas Walking Tour in Old Montreal: $24
- City tour; afternoon in Montreal: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelbourne $17Montreal $16
Typical Alcohol Prices in Melbourne
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
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Bottle of Wine$5.12
Sample the Local Flavors in Melbourne
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Melbourne Pub Crawl: $17
- Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry: $19
- Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $26
- Melbourne Halloween Bar Crawl: $33
- Laid back,Small-Group Yarra Valley Wine Tour :Wine,Gin,Cider+more: $86
- Yarra Valley Day Trip with Local Wine Tastings from Melbourne: $102
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour inc lunch with a glass of wine, tastings and chocolate: $116
- Yarra Valley Gourmet Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $129
- Southern Gippsland boutique Wine Tour with Tapas from Melbourne : $139
- Wine Tour Yarra Valley, Vic - inc. 2 course lunch + glass of wine: $165
- Mornington Peninsula Premium Tour with Wine Tasting at Yabby Lake : $172
- Yarra Valley Premium Tour Lunch and Sparkling Wine Tasting at Domaine Chandon: $178
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 Melbourne and Montreal, we can see that Montreal is more expensive. And not only is Melbourne much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Melbourne is in Pacific 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 Melbourne would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Melbourne 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 Melbourne.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Melbourne Expensive? and Is Montreal Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melbourne or Montreal?
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 14% larger than the population of Montreal. When comparing the sizes of Melbourne 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 Melbourne or Montreal?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Melbourne 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 Melbourne or Montreal in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Melbourne and Montreal. The beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Melbourne this time of year.
In the summer, Melbourne is around the same temperature as Montreal. Typically, the summer temperatures in Melbourne in January average around 20°C (68°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 Melbourne, it's very sunny this time of the year. Melbourne usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Montreal during summer. Melbourne gets 271 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 276 hours of full sun in the summer.
In January, Melbourne usually receives less rain than Montrealin July. Melbourne gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyMelbourne 20°C (68°F)Montreal 21°C (69°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Montreal in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Melbourne as well as Montreal. Many travelers come to Melbourne for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.
In April, Melbourne is generally much warmer than Montrealin October. Daily temperatures in Melbourne average around 15°C (60°F), and Montreal fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).
In the autumn, Melbourne often gets more sunshine than Montrealin October. Melbourne gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 141 hours of full sun.
Melbourne usually gets less rain in April than Montrealin October. Melbourne gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberMelbourne 15°C (60°F)Montreal 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Montreal in the Winter?
Both Montreal and Melbourne are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Melbourne in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Montreal can be very cold during winter. Melbourne is much warmer than Montreal in the winter. The daily temperature in Melbourne averages around 9°C (49°F) in July, and Montreal fluctuates around -10°C (14°F)in January.
Melbourne usually receives more sunshine than Montreal during winter. Melbourne gets 139 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 103 hours of full sun in the winter.
In July, Melbourne usually receives less rain than Montrealin January. Melbourne gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryMelbourne 9°C (49°F)Montreal -10°C (14°F)
Should I visit Melbourne or Montreal in the Spring?
Both Montreal and Melbourne during the spring are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Melbourne for the beaches and the activities around the city during these months.
In the spring, Melbourne is much warmer than Montreal. Typically, the spring temperatures in Melbourne in October average around 14°C (57°F), and Montreal averages at about 6°C (43°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in Melbourne. In the spring, Melbourne often gets more sunshine than Montrealin April. Melbourne gets 216 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 183 hours of full sun.
Melbourne usually gets less rain in October than Montrealin April. Melbourne gets 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilMelbourne 14°C (57°F)Montreal 6°C (43°F)
Typical Weather for Montreal and Melbourne
| Melbourne | Montreal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 20°C (68°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | -10°C (14°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | -9°C (16°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 19°C (65°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | -2°C (28°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| May | 13°C (55°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Jun | 10°C (50°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jul | 9°C (49°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Aug | 10°C (51°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (53°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (57°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Nov | 16°C (61°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 2°C (35°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Dec | 18°C (65°F) | 47 mm (1.9 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.