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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,724 per month in Burlington vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,059 per month in Burlington vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,393 per month in Burlington vs $4,262 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 104%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 CA$28.18

$16.52 CA$23.24

21.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$103

$74.0 CA$104

-1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.34

$10.94 CA$15.40

-0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.66 CA$5.15

$3.84 CA$5.41

-4.69%

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

$1.94 CA$2.73

$2.14 CA$3.01

-9.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$1.45 CA$2.04

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 CA$8.40

$6.13 CA$8.63

-2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.36

$6.73 CA$9.47

-1.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CA$2.91

$2.35 CA$3.31

-11.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CA$4.26

$3.34 CA$4.69

-9.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.17

$3.74 CA$5.27

17.11%

Eggs

$3.03 CA$4.26

$3.39 CA$4.77

-10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.32

$16.30 CA$22.93

-15.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 CA$12.51

$11.81 CA$16.62

-24.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.96 CA$30.90

$15.64 CA$22.01

40.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.87

$3.69 CA$5.20

-6.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.70 CA$2.39

-18.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.12

$4.11 CA$5.79

-11.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.00

$4.41 CA$6.20

-19.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$2.79 CA$3.93

-30.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$2.64 CA$3.72

-32.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$2.29 CA$3.22

-3.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$1.78 CA$2.51

15.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$13.17 CA$18.53

13.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 CA$17.30

$10.64 CA$14.97

15.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.99 CA$4.20

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.15

$3.44 CA$4.83

-34.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.24 CA$4.55

$2.81 CA$3.95

15.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CA$146

$72.8 CA$102

42.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 CA$3.29

$3.52 CA$4.95

-33.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.42

$1.45 CA$2.05

18.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.29 CA$62.3

$34.29 CA$48.26

29.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$1.22 CA$1.72

-4.92%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-0.94%

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

$21.6K CA$30.4K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-2.41%

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

$133 CA$187

$76.5 CA$108

73.82%

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

$53.1 CA$74.8

$35.60 CA$50.1

49.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 CA$86.6

$42.96 CA$60.5

43.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 CA$65.9

$43.39 CA$61.1

7.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.90 CA$32.22

$16.83 CA$23.68

36.07%

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 CA$15.41

$11.09 CA$15.60

-1.26%

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

$947 CA$1,332

$625 CA$879

51.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K CA$34.6K

$5,896 CA$8,296

317.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 CA$86.7

$63.1 CA$88.8

-2.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 CA$96.4

$44.50 CA$62.6

53.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 CA$122

$103 CA$145

-15.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 CA$193

$118 CA$166

15.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 CA$2,414

$1,207 CA$1,699

42.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 CA$2,083

$965 CA$1,358

53.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,722 CA$3,830

$2,031 CA$2,858

34.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 CA$3,427

$1,577 CA$2,219

54.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,331 CA$7,502

$5,085 CA$7,155

4.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,338 CA$6,104

$3,783 CA$5,324

14.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,413 CA$4,802

$2,890 CA$4,066

18.10%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,716 in Burlington versus $1,207 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 18% 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 $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $395 – making Burlington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 $4,086 per month in Burlington and $3,127 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 $947 per month in Burlington and $625 in Montreal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% 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 $2,085, than in Burlington at $2,724. 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.