Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrie and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrie and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,598 in Barrie versus $2,084 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,673 in Barrie versus $3,161 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,748 in Barrie versus $4,239 in Montreal.

Living in Barrie is roughly 25% more expensive than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrie 93% above, Montreal 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.79 CA$20.65

$15.97 CA$22.30

-7.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$104

$73.4 CA$102

1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 CA$14.45

$10.97 CA$15.32

-5.65%

Cappuccino

$3.36 CA$4.69

$3.79 CA$5.29

-11.35%

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

$1.88 CA$2.62

$2.16 CA$3.01

-12.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.50 CA$2.09

-25.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.25 CA$8.73

$5.90 CA$8.24

5.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 CA$8.38

$6.82 CA$9.52

-12.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$2.31 CA$3.23

22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.08

$3.38 CA$4.72

-13.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.69

$3.83 CA$5.36

6.53%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.39

$3.40 CA$4.75

-7.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 CA$12.59

$16.11 CA$22.50

-44.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.03 CA$20.99

$11.78 CA$16.46

27.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.87 CA$34.73

$15.32 CA$21.40

62.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.05

$3.66 CA$5.11

-1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.61 CA$2.25

-21.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$4.07 CA$5.68

-27.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$6.97

$4.40 CA$6.14

13.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 CA$2.42

$2.68 CA$3.74

-35.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.39

$2.66 CA$3.72

45.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 CA$3.92

$2.29 CA$3.20

22.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.77 CA$2.48

-3.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 CA$16.29

$13.07 CA$18.25

-10.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 CA$14.35

$10.70 CA$14.94

-3.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$3.13 CA$4.37

-19.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.17

$3.45 CA$4.82

-34.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 CA$3.68

$2.84 CA$3.97

-7.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.9 CA$92.0

$72.7 CA$102

-9.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.05

$3.52 CA$4.92

-17.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$1.44 CA$2.01

47.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.81 CA$36.04

$33.29 CA$46.48

-22.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.54

$1.23 CA$1.71

-10.57%

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

$24.5K CA$34.3K

$25.4K CA$35.4K

-3.27%

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

$20.0K CA$28.0K

$21.5K CA$30.0K

-6.69%

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

$200 CA$280

$73.9 CA$103

171.14%

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

$42.82 CA$59.8

$36.87 CA$51.5

16.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.0 CA$105

$42.97 CA$60.0

74.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.29 CA$52.1

$42.82 CA$59.8

-12.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.50 CA$52.4

$16.86 CA$23.55

122.42%

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 CA$18.26

$11.19 CA$15.63

16.89%

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

$1,486 CA$2,075

$608 CA$850

144.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.5K

$5,823 CA$8,132

102.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 CA$101

$61.1 CA$85.3

17.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 CA$78.6

$44.96 CA$62.8

25.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CA$204

$102 CA$143

42.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$122 CA$170

-5.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 CA$2,006

$1,198 CA$1,674

19.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 CA$1,847

$942 CA$1,316

40.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,190 CA$3,058

$2,087 CA$2,914

4.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 CA$2,588

$1,559 CA$2,178

18.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,149 CA$7,191

$5,093 CA$7,112

1.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,402 CA$6,148

$3,783 CA$5,283

16.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,051 CA$4,260

$2,880 CA$4,022

5.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

5.01

32.34%

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

Last update for Barrie: June 7, 2026

Last update for Montreal: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,437 in Barrie and $1,198 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrie pays 6% 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: $74.0 in Barrie vs $73.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $393 per month, with Montreal cheaper across the board.

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

Barrie vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barrie and Montreal differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,598 vs $2,084 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barrie pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,437 in Barrie versus $1,198 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 10% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,486 in Barrie versus $608 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,084 in Montreal versus $2,598 in Barrie, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Barrie. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barrie 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.

Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.