Cost of Living Comparison Between Alert and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Alert and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,294 per month in Alert vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,335 per month in Alert vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,376 per month in Alert vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Alert costs about 11% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alert and Montreal sit above the global median – Alert by 71%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.81 CA$23.42

$15.92 CA$22.19

5.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$98.4

$73.1 CA$102

-3.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 CA$15.46

$11.15 CA$15.53

-0.45%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.13

$3.80 CA$5.30

-3.16%

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

$2.03 CA$2.83

$2.18 CA$3.03

-6.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.31

$1.46 CA$2.03

13.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 CA$7.50

$6.12 CA$8.53

-12.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 CA$8.04

$6.78 CA$9.44

-14.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.91

$2.33 CA$3.24

-10.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$3.39 CA$4.73

-23.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.03

$3.73 CA$5.20

-3.22%

Eggs

$3.37 CA$4.70

$3.38 CA$4.71

-0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 CA$15.71

$16.25 CA$22.65

-30.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.12

$11.54 CA$16.08

0.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.86 CA$20.71

$15.24 CA$21.23

-2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.54

$3.74 CA$5.21

6.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$1.70 CA$2.38

-19.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.01

$4.11 CA$5.72

-12.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.12

$4.35 CA$6.06

-15.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$2.71 CA$3.77

-7.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.44

$2.62 CA$3.64

-5.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CA$3.60

$2.25 CA$3.14

14.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.38

$1.73 CA$2.41

-1.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.84 CA$19.28

$13.31 CA$18.55

3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 CA$18.65

$10.78 CA$15.03

24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.93

$3.01 CA$4.20

-6.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.36

$3.46 CA$4.83

-9.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.74 CA$3.82

-14.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 CA$89.2

$72.7 CA$101

-11.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 CA$4.33

$3.63 CA$5.06

-14.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.46 CA$2.03

-2.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.31 CA$35.27

$33.44 CA$46.61

-24.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.57

$1.21 CA$1.69

-6.61%

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

$24.7K CA$34.5K

$24.6K CA$34.4K

0.37%

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

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-5.95%

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

$141 CA$197

$76.0 CA$106

85.46%

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

$43.06 CA$60.0

$35.72 CA$49.79

20.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 CA$87.5

$42.86 CA$59.7

46.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 CA$59.5

$42.92 CA$59.8

-0.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$24.02

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 CA$15.77

$11.09 CA$15.45

1.98%

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

$723 CA$1,007

$620 CA$863

16.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.4K

$5,834 CA$8,131

101.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 CA$75.4

$62.7 CA$87.3

-13.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 CA$56.2

$44.41 CA$61.9

-9.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 CA$120

$101 CA$140

-14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$152

$119 CA$166

-8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 CA$1,862

$1,211 CA$1,688

10.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 CA$1,626

$960 CA$1,337

21.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,051 CA$2,858

$2,035 CA$2,837

0.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 CA$2,520

$1,589 CA$2,215

13.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 CA$7,034

$5,181 CA$7,220

-2.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,903 CA$5,440

$3,934 CA$5,482

-0.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,550 CA$4,947

$2,960 CA$4,125

19.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.01

28.94%

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

Last update for Alert: May 30, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,336 in Alert versus $1,211 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 20% higher in Alert, 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 Alert versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $392 – making Alert 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

Alert vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,294 in Alert, $2,063 in Montreal – roughly 11% apart. Alert costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,442 per month in Alert and $3,094 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Alert – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Alert and $73.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,063, than in Alert at $2,294. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alert 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 $2,063 in Montreal to $2,294 in Alert. 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, Alert makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.