Which place is cheaper, Montreal or Rio de Janeiro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro 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: Rio de Janeiro or Montreal?
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
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 10-Day Tours in Brazil, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil, The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRio de Janeiro $106Montreal $210
The average daily cost (per person) in Rio de Janeiro is $106, 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 Rio de Janeiro and Montreal in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRio de Janeiro $67Montreal $132
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRio de Janeiro $134Montreal $264
Compare Hotels in Rio de Janeiro and Montreal
Looking for a hotel in Rio de Janeiro 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: Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices and Montreal Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rio de Janeiro $8.04Montreal $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride$2.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- Private transfer to Ilha Grande.: $930
- From Private Transfer to São Paulo: $650
- Rio: Sambadrome Carnival Parade + transfer 2025 Sector 7: $471
- 2025: Rio Carnival Parade at Sapucaí with Transfer Sector 7: $471
- Rio Carnival 2025: Sambadrome Parade + Transfer Sector 5: $471
- 2025 Sambadrome Carnival Parade: Transfer Included Sector 5: $471
- Rio's 2025 Carnival Parade at Sapucaí + Transfer Sector 5: $471
- Rio Carnival 2025: Sambadrome Parade + Transfer (Sector 7): $471
- Helicopter Ride for 25 to 30min with Transfer service: $300
- All Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande: $275
- TRANSFER VAN Rio de Janeiro x Búzios/Arraial/Cabo Frio/Angra: $272
- From Private Transfer to Vila do Abraão: $246
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 Rio de Janeiro or Montreal?
Prices for flights to both Montreal and Rio de Janeiro 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 dayRio de Janeiro $20Montreal $36
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn$0.59
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Corn on the Cob$0.79
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Hamburger$0.99
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Waterfront Dinner & Live Music Experience: $46
- Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $73
- THE BEST FOOD TOUR: $80
- Dinner & Rio Scenarium Nightclub Admission with Transfer: $85
- 9-Recipe Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class: $85
- Brazilian Meats and Snacks + South American Wines Guided Dinner: $89
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $106
- Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $113
- Rio Scenarium: Fast Track Entrance, Dinner & Open Bar: $115
- Brazilian Cooking Class: $129
- Samba Show Admission & Transfer with Dinner Option: $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.Rio de Janeiro $22Montreal $21
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ilha Grande Tour Full day - Rio de Janeiro by Rio Eco Trip: $105
- 10-hour Private Tour Rio In One Day: Christ, Sugarloaf, Selarón, Downtown: $260
- 14 - Guided Tour to Quadra Do Salgueiro with Samba Show: $75
- 15 - Guided Tour to Santa Marta Favela: $150
- 16 - Guided Tour to Favela da Rocinha: $75
- 19 - Guided Tour to the Museum of Tomorrow and Olympic Boulevard: $90
- 2 Days in Rio: Tijuca Forest & Two Brothers Hiking Tours: $276
- 2 hours Hang Gliding Paragliding Full Package experience in Rio : $177
- 21 - Guided Tour to the Imperial City of Petrópolis with Lunch: $80
- 25 - Full Day Tour to Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande: $80
- 27 -Guided Tour to Christ the Redeemer and City in Rio de Janeiro: $75
- 3 Hour Boat Tour in Rio de Janeiro: $68
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 dayRio de Janeiro $12Montreal $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Rio: Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba: $33
- Pub Crawl in Lapa: $34
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $35
- Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $40
- Petropolis Bohemia: Historic tour and visit to the Bohemian Brewery: $60
- Walking tour + Pub crawl + Samba in Lapa: $65
- Petropolis City Tour + Bohemia Brewery + Lunch: $77
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
- Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $110
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $132
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 Rio de Janeiro and Montreal, we can see that Montreal is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rio de Janeiro is in South America 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 Rio de Janeiro would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive? and Is Montreal Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rio de Janeiro or Montreal?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 84% larger than the population of Montreal. When comparing the sizes of Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro or Montreal?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro or Montreal in the Summer?
Both Montreal and Rio de Janeiro during the summer are popular places to visit.
Rio de Janeiro is a little warmer than Montreal in the summer. The daily temperature in Rio de Janeiro averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Montreal fluctuates around 21°C (69°F)in July.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro usually gets more rain in January than Montrealin July. Rio de Janeiro gets 114 mm (4.5 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 January and JulyRio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)Montreal 21°C (69°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Montreal in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Rio de Janeiro and Montreal.
In the autumn, Rio de Janeiro is much warmer than Montreal. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Rio de Janeiro in April average around 25°C (77°F), and Montreal averages at about 8°C (47°F)in October.
Rio de Janeiro gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Rio de Janeiro usually receives more rain than Montrealin October. Rio de Janeiro gets 137 mm (5.4 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 April and OctoberRio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)Montreal 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Montreal in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Rio de Janeiro as well as Montreal.
It's quite cold in Montreal in the winter. In July, Rio de Janeiro is generally much warmer than Montrealin January. Daily temperatures in Rio de Janeiro average around 21°C (70°F), and Montreal fluctuates around -10°C (14°F).
Rio de Janeiro usually gets less rain in July than Montrealin January. Rio de Janeiro gets 56 mm (2.2 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 July and JanuaryRio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)Montreal -10°C (14°F)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Montreal in the Spring?
Both Montreal and Rio de Janeiro are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
Rio de Janeiro is much warmer than Montreal in the spring. The daily temperature in Rio de Janeiro averages around 23°C (73°F) in October, and Montreal fluctuates around 6°C (43°F)in April.
In October, Rio de Janeiro usually receives more rain than Montrealin April. Rio de Janeiro gets 88 mm (3.5 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 October and AprilRio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)Montreal 6°C (43°F)
Typical Weather for Montreal and Rio de Janeiro
| Rio de Janeiro | Montreal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | -10°C (14°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | -9°C (16°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) | -2°C (28°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| May | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Jun | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jul | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Aug | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Oct | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Nov | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 2°C (35°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 169 mm (6.7 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.