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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,686 per month in Burlington vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,903 per month in Burlington vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,120 per month in Burlington vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

Burlington costs about 31% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Burlington and Montreal sit above the global median – Burlington by 95%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.49 CA$29.63

$17.85 CA$24.62

20.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$101

$72.3 CA$99.7

1.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 CA$14.87

$10.92 CA$15.06

-1.28%

Cappuccino

$3.50 CA$4.83

$3.97 CA$5.47

-11.84%

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

$1.96 CA$2.71

$2.07 CA$2.86

-5.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.17

$1.55 CA$2.13

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.69 CA$7.84

$6.41 CA$8.85

-11.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 CA$8.51

$7.29 CA$10.05

-15.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 CA$3.60

$2.39 CA$3.29

9.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 CA$4.13

$3.21 CA$4.42

-6.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.55

$3.07 CA$4.23

31.27%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.00

$3.68 CA$5.07

-1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 CA$14.25

$13.57 CA$18.72

-23.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 CA$14.93

$11.63 CA$16.03

-6.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.05 CA$20.76

$13.97 CA$19.27

7.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.30

$3.68 CA$5.08

4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$1.56 CA$2.15

-0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.68

$3.41 CA$4.70

-21.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.92

$3.03 CA$4.17

17.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 CA$2.65

$1.98 CA$2.74

-3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.63

$1.82 CA$2.52

4.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 CA$2.88

$2.56 CA$3.53

-18.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.39 CA$1.92

11.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.79 CA$19.02

$11.49 CA$15.85

20.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 CA$14.79

$10.92 CA$15.06

-1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.92

$2.26 CA$3.12

25.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.10

$3.01 CA$4.15

-1.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 CA$3.65

$2.69 CA$3.71

-1.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.6 CA$137

$75.3 CA$104

32.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 CA$7.14

$3.35 CA$4.62

54.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 CA$3.47

$1.50 CA$2.07

68.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.64 CA$60.2

$33.70 CA$46.47

29.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$1.29 CA$1.78

-11.63%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

-0.11%

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

$20.4K CA$28.1K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

2.22%

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

$144 CA$199

$80.4 CA$111

79.48%

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

$45.14 CA$62.2

$34.23 CA$47.21

31.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 CA$95.9

$41.39 CA$57.1

68.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 CA$72.0

$29.24 CA$40.32

78.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.24 CA$41.70

$19.89 CA$27.43

52.04%

Cinema Ticket

$16.41 CA$22.63

$11.71 CA$16.15

40.14%

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

$1,194 CA$1,647

$564 CA$778

111.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K CA$26.7K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

14.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 CA$99.3

$59.5 CA$82.1

20.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 CA$92.8

$42.13 CA$58.1

59.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 CA$136

$107 CA$148

-7.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$142

$111 CA$153

-7.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 CA$2,277

$1,284 CA$1,770

28.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 CA$2,010

$990 CA$1,365

47.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 CA$3,546

$2,260 CA$3,116

13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,268 CA$3,127

$1,667 CA$2,299

36.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,350 CA$7,378

$5,287 CA$7,291

1.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,160 CA$5,737

$3,813 CA$5,258

9.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,260 CA$4,496

$3,019 CA$4,163

7.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

4.41

2.49%

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

Last update for Burlington: August 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,651 in Burlington versus $1,284 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 8% 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 $73.0 in Burlington versus $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Burlington vs $356 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 31%, 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 $4,028 per month in Burlington and $3,084 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 $1,194 per month in Burlington and $564 in Montreal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% 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 $2,056, than in Burlington at $2,686. 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.