Montreal
Montreal on a budget: cheap food, stays and free sights
Budget CAD 110–215 a day in Montreal: hostel dorm, supermarket and cheap eats, transit. A student or solo traveller should stay in a Plateau or Milton Park hostel, eat lunch at markets and student cafés, and walk or take the metro. Costs rise in summer festival season and fall in deep winter.
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GuideMontreal
Key facts
- Backpacker day
- CAD 110–215 (bed 45–90, food 35–55, transit 10–25)
- Mid-range day
- CAD 270–510
- Cheapest monthscheck
- January–March and November; summer and festival weeks cost most
- Cheap meal
- CAD 10–18 for poutine, bagels, shawarma or a market lunch
- Free sights
- Mount Royal, Old Port waterfront, Lachine Canal, Plateau streets, many churches' exteriors
- Transitcheck
- STM metro and bus; single fare about CAD 3.75, day and 3-day passes available
- Tipping
- 15–20% at restaurants and bars, added on top of tax
- Tax
- GST/QST about 15% added at the till
Top picks
Montreal is one of the cheaper big cities in Canada if you sleep in a dorm, eat where students eat, and treat the city's free outdoor spaces as the main attraction. The picks below are the ones that change what you spend in a day.
- Sleep: hostel dorm in the Plateau or Milton Park keeps you walkable to cheap food.
- Eat: lunch is the cheap meal — markets, student cafés and takeaway counters.
- Move: walk the Plateau and Old Montreal; use the metro for longer hops.
- Sights: Mount Royal, the waterfront and the canal cost nothing.
| Pick | Type | Price (2026 estimate) | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm, Plateau or Milton Park | Stay | CAD 45–90 a night | 24h reception |
| Marché Jean-Talon or Atwater Market | Food | Lunch CAD 8–15 | Daily, morning to evening |
| Montreal-style bagel shop | Food | CAD 2–5 each | Early to late |
| Poutine counter | Food | CAD 10–18 | Lunch to late night |
| Mount Royal and Kondiaronk lookout | Free sight | Free | Open park, daylight best |
| Old Port waterfront and Lachine Canal | Free sight | Free | Open all day |
| STM metro day pass | Transport | About CAD 11 | Service roughly 5am–1am, check |
| Public market picnic | Food | CAD 10–20 | Market hours |
Prices are 2026 estimates in CAD, before tax and tip where they apply. Verify current fares and hours before you go.
Prices and hours
Montreal prices sit below Toronto and Vancouver for food and drink, but tax and tip add roughly 15–20% on top of any restaurant bill. Supermarket and market food is where the savings are: a bagel, a shawarma or a market sandwich lands around CAD 10–18, while a casual sit-down dinner with tax and tip runs CAD 40–70 per person.
Accommodation is the biggest variable. A hostel dorm is the cheapest bed; a mid-range hotel room shared between two is the next step up. Summer, especially during festival weeks, pushes both up, while January to March is the softest period for rates.
Transit is cheap by North American standards. A single STM fare is a few dollars and day or multi-day passes cut the cost further if you ride more than twice a day. Walking the Plateau, Mile End and Old Montreal is free and usually faster than the metro for short hops.
| Item | Price (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Hostel dorm bed | CAD 45–90 a night |
| Mid-range hotel room, shared | CAD 110–220 a night |
| Coffee | CAD 3–6 |
| Poutine | CAD 10–18 |
| Casual dinner with tax and tip | CAD 40–70 per person |
| Beer in a bar | CAD 8–12 |
| STM single fare | About CAD 3.75, check |
| STM day pass | About CAD 11, check |
2026 estimate, per person. Tax (GST/QST, about 15%) is added at the till; tip 15–20% at restaurants and bars.
How to get around
Montreal's metro is the backbone for budget travel: it reaches the Plateau, Old Montreal, the markets and the main train and bus stations. Buy a single fare for one or two rides, or a day or multi-day pass if you plan several trips. Buses fill the gaps, and the network runs from early morning to around 1am, with limited night service after that.
Walking is the cheapest option and the best way to see the Plateau, Mile End and the Old Port. The city is compact enough that many visitors cover their whole day on foot. Bikes are another cheap option in warm months, with a bike-share network across central neighbourhoods; check current rates and docking rules.
From the airport, the cheapest route into the centre is the public bus plus metro rather than a taxi or ride-hail. Allow more time and check the current fare and route before you land.
- Metro: fastest for longer hops; single fare or day pass.
- Walk: Plateau, Mile End, Old Montreal and the canal are all walkable.
- Bike-share: cheap in warm months; check rates and docking.
- Airport: bus plus metro is the budget route; taxi and ride-hail cost more.
FAQ
Questions people ask
How much do I need per day in Montreal?
Budget CAD 110–215 a day: hostel dorm CAD 45–90, food CAD 35–55, transit CAD 10–25 and a little for sights. Mid-range travel runs CAD 270–510 a day. Tax and tip add roughly 15–20% on restaurant bills.
Where can I eat cheaply in Montreal?
Markets such as Jean-Talon and Atwater, bagel shops, poutine counters and student cafés in the Plateau and Mile End. Lunch is the cheap meal: a market sandwich, shawarma or poutine lands around CAD 10–18 before tax.
What are the cheapest months for Montreal?
January to March and November are usually the softest for accommodation, outside holiday weeks. Summer and festival season push hostel and hotel rates up. Cold-weather months are cheaper but you will spend more time indoors.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialTourisme Montréal
- officialSociété de transport de Montréal (STM)
- officialVille de Montréal
- secondaryWikivoyage – Montreal