Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,778 per month in Burlington vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,107 per month in Burlington vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,436 per month in Burlington vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Burlington costs about 35% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Burlington and Montreal sit above the global median – Burlington by 107%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 CA$28.02

$15.92 CA$22.14

26.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$104

$73.1 CA$102

1.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$11.15 CA$15.50

-1.70%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.11

$3.80 CA$5.29

-3.42%

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

$2.01 CA$2.80

$2.18 CA$3.03

-7.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$1.46 CA$2.03

18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.14

$6.12 CA$8.51

-4.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 CA$9.09

$6.78 CA$9.42

-3.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CA$2.76

$2.33 CA$3.24

-14.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$3.39 CA$4.72

-9.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.99

$3.73 CA$5.19

15.55%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.43

$3.38 CA$4.70

-5.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.98

$16.25 CA$22.60

-16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 CA$12.72

$11.54 CA$16.05

-20.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.94 CA$30.51

$15.24 CA$21.19

43.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.81

$3.74 CA$5.20

-7.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.70 CA$2.37

-16.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$4.11 CA$5.71

-9.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.86

$4.35 CA$6.05

-19.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$2.71 CA$3.76

-28.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$2.62 CA$3.64

-31.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$2.25 CA$3.13

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.73 CA$2.40

15.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 CA$20.50

$13.31 CA$18.51

10.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.56

$10.78 CA$15.00

17.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.29

$3.01 CA$4.19

-21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$3.46 CA$4.82

-32.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.74 CA$3.81

23.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CA$146

$72.7 CA$101

44.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 CA$3.22

$3.63 CA$5.05

-36.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.46 CA$2.03

16.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.79 CA$60.9

$33.44 CA$46.50

30.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.21 CA$1.69

-3.31%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

1.96%

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

$21.4K CA$29.8K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-1.21%

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

$131 CA$182

$76.0 CA$106

71.82%

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

$53.2 CA$74.0

$35.72 CA$49.68

48.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 CA$86.3

$42.86 CA$59.6

44.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 CA$63.2

$42.92 CA$59.7

5.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.28 CA$32.38

$17.23 CA$23.97

35.11%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 CA$15.60

$11.09 CA$15.42

1.17%

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

$952 CA$1,324

$620 CA$862

53.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K CA$33.3K

$5,834 CA$8,114

310.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 CA$86.4

$62.7 CA$87.1

-0.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 CA$96.5

$44.41 CA$61.8

56.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$122

$101 CA$140

-13.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 CA$189

$119 CA$166

14.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CA$2,410

$1,211 CA$1,684

43.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 CA$2,045

$960 CA$1,334

53.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 CA$3,671

$2,035 CA$2,831

29.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CA$3,393

$1,589 CA$2,210

53.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,745 CA$7,989

$5,181 CA$7,205

10.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,546 CA$6,322

$3,934 CA$5,470

15.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,278 CA$4,559

$2,960 CA$4,116

10.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

5.01

27.74%

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

Last update for Burlington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,733 in Burlington versus $1,211 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 11% higher in Burlington, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Burlington versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $375 in Burlington vs $392 in Montreal – so Burlington 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

Burlington vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,167 per month in Burlington and $3,094 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.

Kindergarten costs $952 per month in Burlington and $620 in Montreal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Burlington – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,063, than in Burlington at $2,778. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burlington 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, Burlington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.