Which place is cheaper, Montreal or Wellington?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Wellington or Montreal?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Wellington 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: Wellington or Montreal?
Wellington
Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayWellington $104Montreal $210
The average daily cost (per person) in Wellington is $104, 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 Wellington and Montreal in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personWellington $61Montreal $132
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomWellington $122Montreal $264
Compare Hotels in Wellington and Montreal
Looking for a hotel in Wellington 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: Wellington Hotel Prices and Montreal Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Wellington $12Montreal $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington
Also for Wellington, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Airport Transfer: $78
- Wellington Airport Transfer to Wellington Hotels and Vice versa: $75
- Private Transfer with Wellington Dial a Driver: $72
- Wētā Workshop Experience with Guided Transfers: $61
- Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $26
- Private Transfer from Wellington Cruise Port to Wellington Hotels: $26
- Departure Transfer: Wellington Central City Centre Hotels to Wellington Airport: $13
- Arrival Transfer: Wellington Airport to Central Wellington City Centre Hotels: $13
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 Wellington or Montreal?
Prices for flights to both Montreal and Wellington 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 dayWellington $30Montreal $36
Typical Food Prices in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner$9.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Walking Food Tour Of Wellington: $151
- A Taste Of Wellington Food Tour (half Day): $185
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.Wellington $16Montreal $21
Tours and Activities in Wellington
For Wellington, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 5 hour Wellington City Heights Shared tour: $90
- A Taste of Kapiti - Kapiti Foodie Delights Tour: $288
- From Cave to Coast Wellington Highlights Tour: $118
- From Source to Sea Remutaka Mountain Bike Cycle Tour: $103
- From Half-Day Foodie Tour of the Wairarapa: $106
- From Taste Buds Tour of Petone: $167
- Full Day Lord of the Rings Tour: $178
- Full Day Tour of Wellington: $178
- Full-Day Wellington Self-Guided Electric Bike Tour: $51
- Fully customizable tours: $148
- Guided Small Group Walking Tour in Wellington: $45
- Guided Wellington Sightseeing Tour by Electric Bike: $78
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 dayWellington $12Montreal $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Wellington
Also in Wellington, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half Day Tour: $93
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $96
- 5 hour Martinborough shared Chefs Wine Tour with Gourmet lunch: $151
- Martinborough Full Day Wine Tour: $169
- Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $361
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 Wellington and Montreal, we can see that Montreal is more expensive. And not only is Wellington much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Wellington 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 Wellington would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Wellington 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 Wellington.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Wellington Expensive? and Is Montreal Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Wellington or Montreal?
Montreal has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Wellington. When comparing the sizes of Wellington 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 Wellington or Montreal?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Wellington 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 Wellington or Montreal in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Wellington and Montreal. The beaches, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Wellington this time of year.
In the summer, Wellington is cooler than Montreal. Typically, the summer temperatures in Wellington in January average around 18°C (64°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 Wellington, it's very sunny this time of the year. Wellington usually receives less sunshine than Montreal during summer. Wellington gets 242 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 276 hours of full sun in the summer.
In January, Wellington usually receives less rain than Montrealin July. Wellington gets 61 mm (2.4 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 JulyWellington 18°C (64°F)Montreal 21°C (69°F)
Should I visit Wellington or Montreal in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Wellington as well as Montreal. Many travelers come to Wellington for the hiking trails and the shopping scene.
In April, Wellington is generally much warmer than Montrealin October. Daily temperatures in Wellington average around 15°C (58°F), and Montreal fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).
In the autumn, Wellington often gets more sunshine than Montrealin October. Wellington gets 163 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 141 hours of full sun.
Wellington usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Montrealin October. Wellington gets 82 mm (3.2 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 OctoberWellington 15°C (58°F)Montreal 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Wellington or Montreal in the Winter?
Both Montreal and Wellington are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Wellington in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Montreal can be very cold during winter. Wellington is much warmer than Montreal in the winter. The daily temperature in Wellington averages around 10°C (49°F) in July, and Montreal fluctuates around -10°C (14°F)in January.
Wellington usually receives more sunshine than Montreal during winter. Wellington gets 122 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 103 hours of full sun in the winter.
It's quite rainy in Wellington. In July, Wellington usually receives more rain than Montrealin January. Wellington gets 111 mm (4.4 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 JanuaryWellington 10°C (49°F)Montreal -10°C (14°F)
Should I visit Wellington or Montreal in the Spring?
Both Montreal and Wellington during the spring are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Wellington for the beaches during these months.
In the spring, Wellington is much warmer than Montreal. Typically, the spring temperatures in Wellington in October average around 13°C (55°F), and Montreal averages at about 6°C (43°F)in April.
In the spring, Wellington often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Montrealin April. Wellington gets 180 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 183 hours of full sun.
Wellington usually gets more rain in October than Montrealin April. Wellington gets 93 mm (3.7 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 AprilWellington 13°C (55°F)Montreal 6°C (43°F)
Typical Weather for Montreal and Wellington
| Wellington | Montreal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 18°C (64°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | -10°C (14°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Feb | 18°C (64°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | -9°C (16°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 17°C (62°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | -2°C (28°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (58°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Jun | 10°C (51°F) | 113 mm (4.4 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jul | 10°C (49°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Aug | 10°C (50°F) | 98 mm (3.9 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (53°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Oct | 13°C (55°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (58°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 2°C (35°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Dec | 17°C (62°F) | 69 mm (2.7 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.