Which place is cheaper, Montreal or Palm Springs?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Palm Springs or Montreal?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Palm Springs and Montreal can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Palm Springs or Montreal?
Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a desert resort town located about two hours east of Los Angeles, most famously known as Hollywood's playground, where stars and starlets could escape for rest and relaxation but still be close enough to return for impromptu work.
It's no wonder that Palm Springs is increasingly popular as a weekend getaway for special occasions, and even for bachelor and bachelorette parties. Closer than the typical Las Vegas weekend for Southern California residents, Palm Springs provides a desert getaway with endless possibilities of activities, whether visitors want to gamble, shop, hike, or wander through an art gallery.
Climate in the high-desert is generally warm with highs in the 100s during the hot and dry summers, and lows in the mid 40s in the winter months, with sparse rainfall. However, if you're visiting during winter, be sure to pack versatile attire and layers as the days may be warm, but the nights in the low desert can get chilly enough to convince you to change into long pants.
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 San Francisco, The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPalm Springs $206Montreal $209
The average daily cost (per person) in Palm Springs is $206, 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 Palm Springs and Montreal in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPalm Springs $120Montreal $131
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPalm Springs $240Montreal $262
Compare Hotels in Palm Springs and Montreal
Looking for a hotel in Palm Springs 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: Palm Springs Hotel Prices and Montreal Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Palm Springs $52Montreal $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palm Springs
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Palm Springs:
- Palm Springs Airport to Snow Summit - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $262
- Private Airport Transfer in Palm Springs: $195
- Palm Springs Airport to Desert Hot Springs Round-Trip Transfer: $175
- Palm Springs Airport (PSP) to LOS ANGELES - Arrival Private Transfer: $171
- Palm Springs Airport (PSP) to INDIAN WELLS - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $162
- Private Transfer from PSP to Palm Desert / Indian Wells: $135
- Palm Springs Airport PSP to Snow Summit-Arrival Private Transfer: $131
- Palm Springs Airport (PSP) to LA QUINTA/INDIO - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $129
- Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) to SANTA ANA - Arrival Private Transfer: $128
- Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) to ONTARIO - Arrival Private Transfer: $105
- Desert Hot Springs to Palm Springs Airport Departure Transfer: $87
- Palm Springs Airport (PSP) to Desert Hot Springs Private Transfer: $87
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 Palm Springs or Montreal?
Prices for flights to both Montreal and Palm Springs 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 dayPalm Springs $53Montreal $36
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$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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Palm Springs $29Montreal $21
Tours and Activities in Palm Springs
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Palm Springs are as follows:
- 10+ Self-Guided Driving Tours from Las Vegas: $50
- 100+ Self Guided Driving & Walking Tours by Action: $100
- Best of Palm Springs Small Group Tour w/ Aerial Tram: $166
- Covered Wagon Adventure & BBQ: $129
- Death Valley National Park Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour: $17
- Desert Healing Experience: $175
- Earthquake Canyon Express Downhill Bicycle Adventure: $139
- Food Adventure Game: $99
- Indian Canyons Walking Tour by Jeep from Palm Springs: $200
- Joshua Tree National Park Driving Tour : $235
- Joshua Tree National Park Offroad Tour: $235
- Joshua Tree National Park Scenic Tour: $149
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)$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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPalm Springs $13Montreal $16
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 comparing the travel costs between Palm Springs and Montreal, we can see that Montreal is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Palm Springs Expensive? and Is Montreal Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Palm Springs or Montreal?
Montreal has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Palm Springs. When comparing the sizes of Palm Springs 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 Palm Springs 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 Palm Springs or Montreal in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Palm Springs as well as Montreal. The summer months attract visitors to Palm Springs because of the hiking and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Palm Springs is generally a little warmer than Montreal. Daily temperatures in Palm Springs average around 73°F (23°C), and Montreal fluctuates around 21°C (69°F).
Palm Springs usually gets less rain in July than Montreal. Palm Springs gets 0 inches (1 mm) of rain, while Montreal receives 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyPalm Springs 73°F (23°C)Montreal 21°C (69°F)
Should I visit Palm Springs or Montreal in the Autumn?
Both Montreal and Palm Springs are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The hiking trails and the shopping scene are the main draw to Palm Springs this time of year.
Palm Springs is much warmer than Montreal in the autumn. The daily temperature in Palm Springs averages around 69°F (20°C) in October, and Montreal fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).
In October, Palm Springs usually receives less rain than Montreal. Palm Springs gets 0.3 inches (7 mm) of rain, while Montreal receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberPalm Springs 69°F (20°C)Montreal 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Palm Springs or Montreal in the Winter?
Both Montreal and Palm Springs during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Palm Springs for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Montreal can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Palm Springs is much warmer than Montreal. Typically, the winter temperatures in Palm Springs in January average around 57°F (14°C), and Montreal averages at about -10°C (14°F).
Palm Springs usually gets less rain in January than Montreal. Palm Springs gets 2 inches (52 mm) of rain, while Montreal receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryPalm Springs 57°F (14°C)Montreal -10°C (14°F)
Should I visit Palm Springs or Montreal in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Palm Springs and Montreal.
In April, Palm Springs is generally much warmer than Montreal. Daily temperatures in Palm Springs average around 62°F (17°C), and Montreal fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).
In April, Palm Springs usually receives less rain than Montreal. Palm Springs gets 0.9 inches (24 mm) of rain, while Montreal receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilPalm Springs 62°F (17°C)Montreal 6°C (43°F)
Typical Weather for Montreal and Palm Springs
| Palm Springs | Montreal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 57°F (14°C) | 2 inches (52 mm) | -10°C (14°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Feb | 58°F (15°C) | 2.3 inches (58 mm) | -9°C (16°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 59°F (15°C) | 2.2 inches (57 mm) | -2°C (28°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Apr | 62°F (17°C) | 0.9 inches (24 mm) | 6°C (43°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| May | 65°F (18°C) | 0.2 inches (6 mm) | 13°C (55°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Jun | 69°F (20°C) | 0.1 inches (2 mm) | 18°C (64°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jul | 73°F (23°C) | 0 inches (1 mm) | 21°C (69°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Aug | 74°F (24°C) | 0.2 inches (4 mm) | 19°C (67°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Sep | 73°F (23°C) | 0.4 inches (9 mm) | 14°C (58°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Oct | 69°F (20°C) | 0.3 inches (7 mm) | 8°C (47°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Nov | 62°F (17°C) | 1.5 inches (39 mm) | 2°C (35°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Dec | 57°F (14°C) | 1.7 inches (42 mm) | -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.