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: $2,585 in Barrie versus $2,073 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,673 in Barrie versus $3,175 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,761 in Barrie versus $4,277 in Montreal.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrie 94% above, Montreal 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 CA$20.71

$16.22 CA$22.74

-8.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$104

$74.3 CA$104

-0.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 CA$14.40

$11.14 CA$15.61

-7.81%

Cappuccino

$3.42 CA$4.79

$3.83 CA$5.37

-10.70%

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

$1.80 CA$2.52

$2.13 CA$2.99

-15.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.45 CA$2.03

-23.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 CA$8.83

$6.11 CA$8.57

3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 CA$8.01

$6.46 CA$9.05

-11.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$2.24 CA$3.14

21.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$3.22 CA$4.51

-9.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.52

$3.65 CA$5.12

7.95%

Eggs

$3.04 CA$4.26

$3.36 CA$4.71

-9.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 CA$12.44

$15.97 CA$22.37

-44.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.49 CA$20.31

$11.84 CA$16.59

22.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.25 CA$35.38

$15.18 CA$21.28

66.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.21

$3.74 CA$5.24

-0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.70 CA$2.38

-21.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$3.98 CA$5.57

-26.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 CA$7.26

$4.45 CA$6.24

16.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$2.66 CA$3.72

-34.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.33

$2.57 CA$3.60

47.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 CA$3.97

$2.22 CA$3.11

27.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.71 CA$2.40

-2.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.76 CA$16.48

$13.02 CA$18.24

-9.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 CA$14.22

$10.74 CA$15.05

-5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CA$3.40

$3.07 CA$4.30

-20.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CA$3.24

$3.55 CA$4.97

-34.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$2.69 CA$3.76

-1.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 CA$94.3

$74.0 CA$104

-9.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 CA$4.01

$3.64 CA$5.10

-21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 CA$2.93

$1.44 CA$2.02

45.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.95 CA$36.37

$34.18 CA$47.90

-24.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.17 CA$1.64

-2.56%

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

-0.66%

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

$20.4K CA$28.7K

$22.0K CA$30.9K

-7.22%

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

$196 CA$275

$75.2 CA$105

160.90%

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

$42.36 CA$59.4

$36.93 CA$51.8

14.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 CA$107

$44.25 CA$62.0

72.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.31 CA$50.9

$42.03 CA$58.9

-13.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.57 CA$51.2

$16.79 CA$23.53

117.81%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 CA$18.85

$10.87 CA$15.24

23.74%

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

$1,473 CA$2,065

$624 CA$874

136.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$5,856 CA$8,207

99.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 CA$98.2

$61.7 CA$86.4

13.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 CA$79.0

$44.74 CA$62.7

26.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 CA$199

$102 CA$142

39.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$121 CA$169

-4.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 CA$1,980

$1,220 CA$1,710

15.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 CA$1,812

$956 CA$1,339

35.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,166 CA$3,035

$2,044 CA$2,865

5.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 CA$2,569

$1,584 CA$2,219

15.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,015 CA$7,028

$5,158 CA$7,228

-2.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,205 CA$5,892

$3,803 CA$5,329

10.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,045 CA$4,267

$2,899 CA$4,062

5.04%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,413 in Barrie and $1,220 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrie pays 5% 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 $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $389, 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 ($2,585 vs $2,073 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $1,413 in Barrie versus $1,220 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 $1,473 in Barrie versus $624 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,073 in Montreal versus $2,585 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.