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: $2,544 in Barrie versus $2,042 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,542 in Barrie versus $3,163 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,540 in Barrie versus $4,284 in Montreal.

Living in Barrie is roughly 25% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrie 86% above, Montreal 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.68 CA$20.53

$18.22 CA$25.49

-19.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 CA$79.7

$70.6 CA$98.8

-19.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 CA$15.88

$10.89 CA$15.23

4.22%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.23

$3.92 CA$5.49

-4.59%

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

$1.94 CA$2.71

$1.97 CA$2.76

-1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$1.59 CA$2.23

-9.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 CA$7.21

$6.52 CA$9.12

-20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 CA$7.87

$7.24 CA$10.13

-22.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$2.29 CA$3.20

-8.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$3.11 CA$4.35

-17.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.76

$3.03 CA$4.24

-11.22%

Eggs

$3.13 CA$4.38

$3.59 CA$5.03

-12.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.13

$14.29 CA$19.99

-29.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.64 CA$20.48

$11.39 CA$15.93

28.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.79 CA$31.89

$14.56 CA$20.37

56.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.64

$3.44 CA$4.81

17.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 CA$1.67

$1.53 CA$2.14

-22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.47

$3.20 CA$4.48

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.65

$2.89 CA$4.04

39.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.91 CA$2.67

-41.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.80 CA$2.52

-24.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.56 CA$3.58

-13.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.41

$1.50 CA$2.10

14.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.60 CA$16.23

$11.68 CA$16.35

-0.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 CA$14.38

$10.62 CA$14.85

-3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.50

$2.37 CA$3.32

5.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$3.03 CA$4.24

-27.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 CA$3.49

$2.72 CA$3.80

-8.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 CA$90.6

$74.2 CA$104

-12.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$5.00

$3.19 CA$4.47

11.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.45 CA$2.03

-24.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.52 CA$46.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.51

$1.31 CA$1.83

-17.56%

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

$29.0K CA$40.6K

$28.7K CA$40.1K

1.32%

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

$21.4K CA$29.9K

$20.4K CA$28.5K

4.91%

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

$236 CA$330

$78.2 CA$109

201.48%

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

$36.33 CA$50.8

$35.53 CA$49.70

2.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.4 CA$110

$43.37 CA$60.7

80.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 CA$57.6

$30.84 CA$43.14

33.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.41 CA$49.53

$19.99 CA$27.97

77.14%

Cinema Ticket

$12.89 CA$18.03

$11.58 CA$16.20

11.31%

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

$1,456 CA$2,037

$552 CA$772

163.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K CA$23.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 CA$89.4

$55.4 CA$77.5

15.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.65 CA$63.9

$38.30 CA$53.6

19.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CA$211

$99.0 CA$138

52.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 CA$119

$104 CA$146

-18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 CA$2,039

$1,234 CA$1,726

18.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 CA$1,798

$990 CA$1,385

29.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 CA$2,926

$2,171 CA$3,037

-3.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 CA$2,478

$1,636 CA$2,289

8.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,084 CA$7,112

$5,129 CA$7,176

-0.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,301 CA$6,017

$3,724 CA$5,209

15.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,093 CA$4,326

$3,059 CA$4,279

1.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.44

5.41%

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

Last update for Barrie: September 15, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,458 in Barrie and $1,234 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrie pays 1% 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: $57.0 in Barrie vs $71.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 vs $354, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

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 ($2,544 vs $2,042 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Barrie, 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: $1,458 in Barrie versus $1,234 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 15% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,456 in Barrie versus $552 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,042 in Montreal versus $2,544 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.