Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,056 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in Calgary versus $3,112 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,622 in Calgary versus $4,167 in Montreal.

Living in Calgary is roughly 14% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Montreal 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.82

$17.85 CA$24.70

0.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$97.6

$72.3 CA$100

-2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.79

$10.92 CA$15.11

-2.11%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.24

$3.97 CA$5.49

-4.53%

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

$2.00 CA$2.77

$2.07 CA$2.87

-3.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.73

$1.55 CA$2.14

27.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.18

$6.41 CA$8.88

-19.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.11

$7.29 CA$10.09

-19.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$2.39 CA$3.30

-18.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$3.21 CA$4.44

-12.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.77

$3.07 CA$4.25

82.74%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.19

$3.68 CA$5.09

1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.91

$13.57 CA$18.78

-15.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.86

$11.63 CA$16.09

-1.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 CA$26.23

$13.97 CA$19.33

35.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.69

$3.68 CA$5.10

31.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$1.56 CA$2.16

-12.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.88

$3.41 CA$4.72

24.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.74

$3.03 CA$4.19

36.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$1.98 CA$2.74

36.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.91

$1.82 CA$2.52

55.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.56 CA$3.54

3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$1.39 CA$1.92

8.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.21

$11.49 CA$15.90

27.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CA$21.80

$10.92 CA$15.11

44.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.59

$2.26 CA$3.13

15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.26

$3.01 CA$4.16

2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.05

$2.69 CA$3.72

8.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$124

$75.3 CA$104

18.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.59

$3.35 CA$4.63

-0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.50 CA$2.08

-4.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.34

$33.70 CA$46.63

-17.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.29 CA$1.79

-2.33%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$28.3K CA$39.1K

2.32%

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

$21.3K CA$29.5K

$20.0K CA$27.6K

6.97%

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

$183 CA$253

$80.4 CA$111

127.68%

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

$38.31 CA$53.0

$34.23 CA$47.37

11.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.5

$41.39 CA$57.3

24.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$75.9

$29.24 CA$40.46

87.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.82

$19.89 CA$27.52

-6.18%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CA$19.73

$11.71 CA$16.20

21.78%

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

$828 CA$1,146

$564 CA$781

46.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.0K

$16.8K CA$23.3K

-5.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$82.4

$59.5 CA$82.3

0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 CA$54.6

$42.13 CA$58.3

-6.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$107 CA$148

-11.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$111 CA$153

1.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,750

$1,284 CA$1,776

-1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CA$1,454

$990 CA$1,370

6.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,676

$2,260 CA$3,127

-14.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,352

$1,667 CA$2,307

1.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,092

$5,287 CA$7,316

-30.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,613

$3,813 CA$5,276

-12.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,533

$3,019 CA$4,177

8.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

4.41

-0.23%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Calgary and $1,284 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 9% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $356, 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

Calgary vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Calgary, 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: $1,265 in Calgary versus $1,284 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,353 per month in Calgary versus $2,056 in Montreal – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montreal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Calgary, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Calgary 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 14% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.