Cost of Living Comparison Between Airdrie and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Airdrie and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,494 per month in Airdrie vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,531 per month in Airdrie vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,568 per month in Airdrie vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Airdrie costs about 20% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Airdrie and Montreal sit above the global median – Airdrie by 87%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.34 CA$25.80

$16.52 CA$23.24

11.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$99.8

$74.0 CA$104

-4.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.73

$10.94 CA$15.40

2.19%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.23

$3.84 CA$5.41

-3.39%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.77

$2.14 CA$3.01

-7.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.42

$1.45 CA$2.04

18.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 CA$8.18

$6.13 CA$8.63

-5.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 CA$8.48

$6.73 CA$9.47

-10.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.83

$2.35 CA$3.31

-14.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.82

$3.34 CA$4.69

-18.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 CA$4.33

$3.74 CA$5.27

-17.65%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$5.02

$3.39 CA$4.77

5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 CA$16.97

$16.30 CA$22.93

-26.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.55 CA$17.66

$11.81 CA$16.62

6.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.21 CA$22.81

$15.64 CA$22.01

3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.69 CA$5.20

17.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.80

$1.70 CA$2.39

-24.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.38

$4.11 CA$5.79

-6.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.11

$4.41 CA$6.20

-17.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.39

$2.79 CA$3.93

-13.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$2.64 CA$3.72

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$2.29 CA$3.22

15.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 CA$2.73

$1.78 CA$2.51

8.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.69 CA$20.67

$13.17 CA$18.53

11.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 CA$17.05

$10.64 CA$14.97

13.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$4.01

$2.99 CA$4.20

-4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 CA$4.49

$3.44 CA$4.83

-7.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$2.81 CA$3.95

-15.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$88.5

$72.8 CA$102

-13.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 CA$4.42

$3.52 CA$4.95

-10.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.45 CA$2.05

-6.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.50 CA$33.07

$34.29 CA$48.26

-31.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 CA$1.47

$1.22 CA$1.72

-14.75%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-0.30%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.5K CA$30.2K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-3.05%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$209 CA$295

$76.5 CA$108

173.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$41.09 CA$57.8

$35.60 CA$50.1

15.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 CA$82.7

$42.96 CA$60.5

36.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.8 CA$126

$43.39 CA$61.1

106.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.1 CA$83.2

$16.83 CA$23.68

251.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.42 CA$18.89

$11.09 CA$15.60

21.01%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$701 CA$987

$625 CA$879

12.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.4K

$5,896 CA$8,296

97.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.75 CA$68.6

$63.1 CA$88.8

-22.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.08 CA$59.2

$44.50 CA$62.6

-5.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 CA$114

$103 CA$145

-20.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$147

$118 CA$166

-11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 CA$1,835

$1,207 CA$1,699

8.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 CA$1,666

$965 CA$1,358

22.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 CA$2,595

$2,031 CA$2,858

-9.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CA$2,267

$1,577 CA$2,219

2.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,078 CA$8,552

$5,085 CA$7,155

19.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,141 CA$8,640

$3,783 CA$5,324

62.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,900 CA$4,080

$2,890 CA$4,066

0.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.01

21.36%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Airdrie: July 11, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,304 in Airdrie versus $1,207 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 0% higher in Airdrie, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Airdrie versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $395 – making Airdrie the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Airdrie vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,494 in Airdrie, $2,085 in Montreal – roughly 20% apart. Airdrie costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,741 per month in Airdrie and $3,127 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,494 in Airdrie and $2,085 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,085, than in Airdrie at $2,494. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Airdrie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,085 in Montreal to $2,494 in Airdrie. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Airdrie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.