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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,650 per month in Airdrie vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,725 per month in Airdrie vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,801 per month in Airdrie vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

Airdrie costs about 29% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Airdrie and Montreal sit above the global median – Airdrie by 93%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 CA$26.87

$17.85 CA$24.62

9.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.2 CA$108

$72.3 CA$99.7

8.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$14.91

$10.92 CA$15.06

-1.01%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.31

$3.97 CA$5.47

-3.02%

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

$2.22 CA$3.06

$2.07 CA$2.86

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.71

$1.55 CA$2.13

27.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 CA$6.93

$6.41 CA$8.85

-21.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 CA$7.75

$7.29 CA$10.05

-22.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.78

$2.39 CA$3.29

-15.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 CA$3.87

$3.21 CA$4.42

-12.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.93

$3.07 CA$4.23

16.29%

Eggs

$3.78 CA$5.21

$3.68 CA$5.07

2.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 CA$15.73

$13.57 CA$18.72

-15.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 CA$15.77

$11.63 CA$16.03

-1.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.62 CA$25.68

$13.97 CA$19.27

33.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 CA$6.90

$3.68 CA$5.08

36.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.88

$1.56 CA$2.15

-12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.09

$3.41 CA$4.70

29.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.44

$3.03 CA$4.17

30.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.70

$1.98 CA$2.74

35.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 CA$3.94

$1.82 CA$2.52

56.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.54

$1.39 CA$1.92

32.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.29

$11.49 CA$15.85

28.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 CA$15.77

$10.92 CA$15.06

4.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.05

$2.26 CA$3.12

61.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.32

$3.01 CA$4.15

3.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 CA$2.94

$2.69 CA$3.71

-20.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$182 CA$250

$75.3 CA$104

140.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.40

$3.35 CA$4.62

-4.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.94

$1.50 CA$2.07

-6.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.68 CA$29.89

$33.70 CA$46.47

-35.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.57

$1.29 CA$1.78

-11.63%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

0.14%

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

$19.8K CA$27.3K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

-0.70%

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

$224 CA$309

$80.4 CA$111

179.19%

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

$40.60 CA$56.0

$34.23 CA$47.21

18.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 CA$77.5

$41.39 CA$57.1

35.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.0 CA$117

$29.24 CA$40.32

190.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.66 CA$49.17

$19.89 CA$27.43

79.29%

Cinema Ticket

$14.58 CA$20.11

$11.71 CA$16.15

24.51%

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

$774 CA$1,067

$564 CA$778

37.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,650 CA$13.3K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

-42.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.52 CA$61.4

$59.5 CA$82.1

-25.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.18 CA$59.6

$42.13 CA$58.1

2.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 CA$120

$107 CA$148

-18.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$111 CA$153

1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 CA$1,763

$1,284 CA$1,770

-0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 CA$1,574

$990 CA$1,365

15.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 CA$2,488

$2,260 CA$3,116

-20.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 CA$2,379

$1,667 CA$2,299

3.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,272 CA$8,649

$5,287 CA$7,291

18.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,219 CA$8,577

$3,813 CA$5,258

63.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,912 CA$4,016

$3,019 CA$4,163

-3.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.41

-2.04%

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

Last update for Airdrie: September 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,279 in Airdrie versus $1,284 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 4% higher in Montreal, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Airdrie versus $72.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $356 – making Montreal 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: $2,650 in Airdrie, $2,056 in Montreal – roughly 29% apart. Airdrie costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,975 per month in Airdrie and $3,084 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 $2,650 in Airdrie and $2,056 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 141% 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 $2,056, than in Airdrie at $2,650. 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 $2,056 in Montreal to $2,650 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.