The best cheap things to do in Montreal for $20 or less

Having a good time in Montreal doesn’t have to drain your wallet, and the best cheap things to do in Montreal we've collected here show just how much this city is built for loitering and lounging without lightening your wallet too much.

The best moments don’t come with a price tag, and even when they do, there are ways to work the system: Free museum days, amateur comedy nights, open mics, cutting-edge art, you name it—Montreal may not be the cheapest city, but that doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune to enjoy it.

The best parts of this place—its food, its culture, its street-level energy—are either free or come at a price that won’t have you checking your bank balance in regret. This guide is proof of how you can do Montreal for under $20.

Culture, music & arts

Montreal’s cultural scene doesn’t have to cost you a dime.

• Visit museums: Culture shouldn’t come with a price barrier, and in Montreal, it often doesn’t. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts offers a lot of free access and discounts for its collections, the Redpath Museum only asks for suggested contributions, and the McCord Stewart Museum offers discounts depending on the reason of your visit or how you purchase your ticket. These and more of the best museums in Montreal make it easy to inject some highbrow energy into your week at a low cost.
• Find comedy or improv night: Montreal’s stand-up and improv scene is packed, and some of the best laughs in town come with a pay-what-you-can (PWYC) entry. The Comedy Nest hosts cheap showcases with new comics, while nights at Montreal Improv invite both pros and amateurs to take the stage.
• Go to an open mic for music or poetry: Whether you’re stepping up to the mic or just there to watch, these nights deliver the raw, unfiltered side of Montreal’s creative scene—for free or the price of a beer. Monday nights at Bar Le Ritz PDB bring a mix of seasoned musicians and first-timers, while Mariposa Café offers a cozy setting for singer-songwriters; Turbo Haüs hosts a lively Tuesday night mic, and for a rotating mix of spoken word, indie acts, and jazz jam sessions, spots like Grumpy's are solid bets.
• See a show: Believe it or not, but the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT) regularly features programming that's either completely free or within this guide's budget. So shake things up a bit by seeing some live shows or boundary-pushing immersive works.

• Catch a free theatre performance: Montreal’s independent theatre scene is small but mighty, and if you know where to look, you can catch solid performances for free. In the summer, Repercussion Theatre's Shakespeare-in-the-Park brings the Bard to green spaces across the city, and the Théâtre de Verdure has a variety of free performances in Parc La Fontaine as well. Centaur Theatre puts on a show with student pricing at $20 or less, but if you're not a student, you can check out the performances at Dawson College's Performing Arts department on a PWYC basis.
• Crash an art gallery: There are sizeable arts centres such as Montréal, arts interculturels (MAI), Arsenal art contemporain Montréal, and Centre PHI which feature a range of art exhibitions and performances that are either cheap or completely free. There there's the Belgo Building downtown, home to multiple galleries, many of which open their doors for vernissages featuring emerging artists.

Food & drink

• Go on a cheap coffee hunt: Montreal takes its coffee seriously, but you don’t have to always drop $7+ on an oat milk cortado to get a good cup. Many of the best cafés and coffee shops in Montreal serve top-tier espresso for under $5, letting you sip like a connoisseur without the price tag. Whether you prefer a classic Italian-style shot or a third-wave pour-over, the city’s café scene makes it easy to caffeinate on a budget.
• Sample your way through a market: Hubs like Jean-Talon Market or Atwater Market aren’t just for stocking up on fresh produce—they’re also goldmines for free samples. Vendors often hand out bites of cheese, charcuterie, or seasonal fruit, so you can snack your way through without spending a dime. If you want something more substantial, grab a samosa, fresh pastry, or an oyster from one of the seafood counters—all cheap, all delicious.
• The best cheap eats: There are a lot of options when it comes to the best cheap eats in Montreal for $15 or less, and they include everything from hand-pulled noodles in Chinatown to perfectly spiced shawarma in Little Burgundy.
• Grab one drink: Look, nobody’s forcing you to order a $19 cocktail. But many of the best bars in Montreal—heck, even the best dive bars in Montreal—will be able to provide a drink or two for under $20. Just take your time with it and say hi to a stranger, and enjoy the company (or silence, you do you!).

Sports, leisure, and urban exploration

• Ride public transit on the most scenic routes: Who needs a tour bus when the STM gives you front-row seats to some of Montreal’s best views for the price of a metro ticket? The 55 bus crawls up Saint-Laurent Boulevard past murals, old-school dépanneurs, and the city’s shifting neighbourhoods, while the Orange Line between Square-Victoria and Champ-de-Mars offers a quick peek at Old Montreal’s historic architecture between subway stops.
• Take the ferry from Old Port to Parc Jean-Drapeau: For just over $5, you can trade the city’s cobblestone streets for an island escape—plus, you get a skyline view that’s usually reserved for boat tours charging ten times the price. The short ride drops you off at Parc Jean-Drapeau, where you can bike, picnic, or pretend you’re on vacation without ever leaving the city.
• Bike the Lachine Canal: The Lachine Canal path is one of the best ways to see the city on two wheels, stretching from the Old Port all the way to the borough of Lachine. Grab a BIXI for a few dollars and ride past waterfront parks, old industrial buildings, and plenty of picnic-perfect spots to stop and take it all in.

• Join a low-cost outdoor yoga class: Montreal’s parks double as open-air yoga studios in the summer, with sessions popping up in places like Sir-Wilfred-Laurier Park and Mount Royal thanks to studios like ensō yoga where outdoor classes are less than $20 a pop. Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or just looking for an excuse to stretch outside, all you need is a mat, a bit of patience, and a willingness to share your space with the occasional squirrel.
• Join a running club or group hike: If you need motivation to move, Montreal has plenty of group workouts that won’t cost you a cent. Running and cycling groups will meet up at places like Le Club and Ciele Athletics—even restaurants like BarBara are known to host some sessions.
• Try ice skating no matter the time of year: In the winter, Montreal turns into a skating paradise, and you don’t need to pay for an arena pass to take advantage. Parc La Fontaine, Beaver Lake, and Esplanade Tranquille all have free rinks with just the right mix of scenic views and local energy—bring your own skates and it won’t cost you a thing, but even rentals are pretty cheap if you need them. If it's summer, enjoy the ice skating at Atrium Le 1000, where it's only $10 to get on the ice.