Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajax, ON and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajax, ON and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,535 per month in Ajax, ON vs $2,108 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,633 per month in Ajax, ON vs $3,226 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,732 per month in Ajax, ON vs $4,344 in Montreal, rent included.

Ajax, ON costs about 20% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ajax, ON and Montreal sit above the global median – Ajax, ON by 84%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.87 CA$24.79

$17.83 CA$24.73

0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 CA$74.1

$73.6 CA$102

-27.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.27

$10.81 CA$15.00

1.85%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.22

$3.92 CA$5.44

-4.08%

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

$1.80 CA$2.49

$2.04 CA$2.84

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.20

$1.52 CA$2.11

4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 CA$4.98

$6.59 CA$9.14

-45.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 CA$8.06

$7.14 CA$9.90

-18.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.37 CA$3.28

-16.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 CA$3.98

$3.23 CA$4.48

-11.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.69

$2.95 CA$4.10

14.58%

Eggs

$3.13 CA$4.34

$3.69 CA$5.12

-15.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 CA$13.05

$13.65 CA$18.93

-31.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.87 CA$16.47

$11.94 CA$16.56

-0.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 CA$24.20

$14.07 CA$19.52

24.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$3.61 CA$5.01

17.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$1.55 CA$2.15

8.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.05

$3.29 CA$4.56

32.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.67

$3.07 CA$4.26

9.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$2.00 CA$2.78

55.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.75

$1.90 CA$2.64

4.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 CA$4.15

$2.64 CA$3.66

13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CA$2.72

$1.39 CA$1.93

41.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.22 CA$19.72

$11.80 CA$16.36

20.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 CA$18.26

$10.80 CA$14.98

21.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$2.96

$2.37 CA$3.29

-9.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$2.90 CA$4.02

-10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.39

$2.74 CA$3.79

-10.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.1 CA$124

$77.1 CA$107

15.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 CA$4.86

$3.31 CA$4.59

5.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.50 CA$35.37

$32.98 CA$45.74

-22.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.31 CA$1.82

-16.03%

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

$28.1K CA$39.0K

$28.7K CA$39.8K

-2.02%

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

$19.3K CA$26.8K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

-5.39%

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

$130 CA$181

$79.9 CA$111

62.97%

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

$27.51 CA$38.16

$34.79 CA$48.25

-20.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 CA$82.1

$42.55 CA$59.0

39.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.70 CA$46.73

$29.20 CA$40.50

15.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.67 CA$14.80

$20.33 CA$28.20

-47.52%

Cinema Ticket

$10.27 CA$14.24

$11.48 CA$15.93

-10.54%

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

$918 CA$1,273

$565 CA$784

62.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K CA$24.3K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

5.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 CA$73.2

$60.2 CA$83.5

-12.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.03 CA$52.7

$41.87 CA$58.1

-9.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 CA$121

$104 CA$144

-16.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 CA$135

$113 CA$156

-13.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 CA$2,190

$1,294 CA$1,795

22.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 CA$1,929

$1,014 CA$1,407

37.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,315 CA$3,211

$2,271 CA$3,149

1.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,237 CA$3,103

$1,683 CA$2,334

32.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,151

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,053 CA$4,234

$3,032 CA$4,205

0.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.44

8.11%

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

Last update for Ajax, ON: September 7, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,579 in Ajax, ON versus $1,294 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 1% higher in Ajax, ON, 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 $53.0 in Ajax, ON versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $371 in Ajax, ON vs $358 in Montreal – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ajax, ON vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ajax, ON is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,802 per month in Ajax, ON and $3,163 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 $2,535 in Ajax, ON and $2,108 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 $2,108, than in Ajax, ON at $2,535. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajax, ON it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montreal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Ajax, ON makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.