Cost of Living Comparison Between Alliston and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Alliston and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,276 per month in Alliston vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,532 per month in Alliston vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,788 per month in Alliston vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Alliston costs about 9% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alliston and Montreal sit above the global median – Alliston by 70%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.28 CA$25.72

$16.52 CA$23.24

10.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$74.0 CA$104

13.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.83

$10.94 CA$15.40

2.83%

Cappuccino

$1.48 CA$2.09

$3.84 CA$5.41

-61.46%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$1.45 CA$2.04

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.22

$6.13 CA$8.63

-4.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 CA$9.52

$6.73 CA$9.47

0.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 CA$3.92

$2.35 CA$3.31

18.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.74

$3.34 CA$4.69

-20.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.09

$3.74 CA$5.27

-3.21%

Eggs

$3.13 CA$4.40

$3.39 CA$4.77

-7.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$19.21

$16.30 CA$22.93

-16.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.01 CA$18.31

$11.81 CA$16.62

10.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.18 CA$10.10

$15.64 CA$22.01

-54.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.37

$3.69 CA$5.20

3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.70 CA$2.39

-32.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$4.11 CA$5.79

-21.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.65

$4.41 CA$6.20

-9.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.55

$2.79 CA$3.93

-9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.14

$2.64 CA$3.72

11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$2.29 CA$3.22

3.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CA$0.97

$1.78 CA$2.51

-61.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.67 CA$20.64

$13.17 CA$18.53

11.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.23 CA$10.17

$10.64 CA$14.97

-32.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.99 CA$4.20

-6.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 CA$4.48

$3.44 CA$4.83

-7.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.43

$2.81 CA$3.95

-13.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 CA$90.2

$72.8 CA$102

-12.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 CA$5.24

$3.52 CA$4.95

5.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 CA$2.48

$1.45 CA$2.05

21.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.72 CA$36.19

$34.29 CA$48.26

-24.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 CA$1.43

$1.22 CA$1.72

-16.39%

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

$25.1K CA$35.2K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-0.80%

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

$21.4K CA$30.1K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-3.29%

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

$117 CA$165

$76.5 CA$108

52.99%

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

$28.91 CA$40.67

$35.60 CA$50.1

-18.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 CA$76.1

$42.96 CA$60.5

25.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.71 CA$37.59

$43.39 CA$61.1

-38.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.29

$11.09 CA$15.60

4.33%

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

$1,144 CA$1,610

$625 CA$879

83.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$5,896 CA$8,296

211.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 CA$82.6

$63.1 CA$88.8

-7.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.81 CA$54.6

$44.50 CA$62.6

-12.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 CA$127

$103 CA$145

-12.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$163

$118 CA$166

-1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 CA$1,875

$1,207 CA$1,699

10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 CA$1,635

$965 CA$1,358

20.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 CA$2,869

$2,031 CA$2,858

0.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,217 CA$3,120

$1,577 CA$2,219

40.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,410 CA$6,205

$5,085 CA$7,155

-13.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,390 CA$4,770

$3,783 CA$5,324

-10.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,823 CA$2,566

$2,890 CA$4,066

-36.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

5.01

2.99%

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

Last update for Alliston: July 11, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,332 in Alliston 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 58% 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 $84.0 in Alliston versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $334 in Alliston vs $395 in Montreal – so Alliston 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

Alliston vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Alliston is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,414 per month in Alliston 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Alliston – 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 $84.0 in Alliston and $74.0 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 $2,085, than in Alliston at $2,276. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alliston 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, Alliston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.