Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athlone and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $2,542 in Athlone, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Athlone outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Athlone
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,542
/mo nomad
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athlone and in Montreal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Athlone and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,542 in Athlone versus $2,018 in Montreal.

  • Athlone $2,542
  • Montreal $2,018

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,749 in Athlone versus $3,085 in Montreal.

  • Athlone $3,749
  • Montreal $3,085

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,956 in Athlone versus $4,152 in Montreal.

  • Athlone $4,956
  • Montreal $4,152

Living in Athlone is roughly 26% more expensive than in Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athlone 88% above, Montreal 49% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athlone
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.37 €19.87
$18.82 CA$26.64
18.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.0 €80.8
$70.3 CA$99.5
29.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.63 €11.21
$10.66 CA$15.08
18.48%
Cappuccino
$4.32 €3.84
$3.84 CA$5.44
12.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 €2.59
$1.92 CA$2.71
52.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 €1.64
$1.54 CA$2.18
19.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.41 €6.58
$6.23 CA$8.82
18.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.55 €5.81
$7.10 CA$10.04
-7.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athlone
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 €1.30
$2.31 CA$3.27
-36.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 €1.12
$3.14 CA$4.45
-59.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.66 €1.47
$3.21 CA$4.55
-48.29%
Eggs
$3.91 €3.47
$3.52 CA$4.98
11.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.73 €9.53
$12.81 CA$18.13
-16.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.27 €10.01
$11.46 CA$16.22
-1.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.85 €10.52
$13.39 CA$18.94
-11.50%
Apples (1kg)
$2.55 €2.27
$3.14 CA$4.44
-18.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 €1.38
$1.44 CA$2.04
8.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 €2.14
$3.47 CA$4.92
-30.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.85 €2.53
$3.07 CA$4.35
-7.17%
Potato (1kg)
$2.29 €2.03
$1.90 CA$2.69
20.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.60
$1.77 CA$2.51
2.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$2.34 CA$3.31
-38.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.55 CA$2.20
22.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.88 €15.87
$11.38 CA$16.10
57.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.10 €9.86
$10.63 CA$15.04
4.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.44 €3.05
$2.27 CA$3.22
51.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 €3.18
$2.82 CA$3.99
26.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Athlone
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.06 €1.83
$2.66 CA$3.77
-22.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.3 CA$109
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.08 €4.51
$3.20 CA$4.53
58.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.32
$1.48 CA$2.09
0.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.77 €24.67
$32.88 CA$46.53
-15.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 €1.80
$1.34 CA$1.90
51.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.6K €35.2K
$28.2K CA$39.8K
40.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.8K €32.7K
$19.6K CA$27.8K
87.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athlone
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$241 €214
$76.0 CA$107
217.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.86 €19.42
$33.95 CA$48.05
-35.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.22 €43.72
$42.31 CA$59.9
16.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athlone
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.5 €52.0
$29.76 CA$42.11
96.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.69 €30.81
$20.28 CA$28.70
71.06%
Cinema Ticket
$10.95 €9.73
$11.15 CA$15.78
-1.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athlone
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,001 €889
$507 CA$718
97.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,365 €4,765
$16.1K CA$22.7K
-66.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athlone
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.9 €82.5
$57.6 CA$81.4
61.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.88 €36.31
$37.58 CA$53.2
8.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.6 €74.3
$91.9 CA$130
-9.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.7 €69.0
$110 CA$155
-29.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athlone
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,468 €1,304
$1,260 CA$1,784
16.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,353 €1,201
$948 CA$1,341
42.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,529 €2,246
$2,137 CA$3,024
18.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,254 €2,002
$1,614 CA$2,283
39.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,294 €2,925
$4,960 CA$7,018
-33.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,340 €2,966
$3,838 CA$5,431
-12.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athlone
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,153 €2,800
$2,827 CA$4,001
11.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.73
4.48
-16.74%

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

Last update for Athlone: October 11, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athlone
$1.4K
Montreal
$948 30% $405
Eating Out
Athlone
$338
Montreal
$288 14.8% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athlone
$312
Montreal
$152 51.2% $160
Groceries & Markets
Athlone
$305
Montreal
$346 13.6% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Athlone
$133
Montreal
$133 0.5% $0.7
Sport & Entertainment
Athlone
$80
Montreal
$52 35.3% $28
Getting Around
Athlone
$21 *
Montreal
$99 375% $78

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,468 in Athlone and $1,260 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athlone pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $91.0 in Athlone vs $70.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $346, with Athlone cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇪 Athlone
🇨🇦 Montreal
🕒 Local time
10:35 10:35 AM
05:35 5:35 AM
5 h behind Athlone
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,000
1,762,949
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athlone Montreal 4,650 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athlone
  • Montreal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Athlone vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athlone or Montreal?
Montreal wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Athlone. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montreal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athlone or in Montreal?
Average pay runs 12% higher in Athlone, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athlone compared to Montreal?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,468 in Athlone versus $1,260 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Athlone or in Montreal?
Shoppers in Athlone pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Athlone compared to Montreal?
All in, you'll spend $2,542 per month in Athlone versus $2,018 in Montreal – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Athlone or in Montreal?
At $2,018 in Montreal versus $2,542 in Athlone, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Athlone. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athlone or Montreal?
Both work as nomad bases, but Montreal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,018 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Montreal hard to pass up.
How safe is Athlone compared to Montreal?
Safety-wise, Athlone and Montreal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Athlone. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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