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: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,063 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,159 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,255 in Montreal.

Living in Calgary is roughly 22% more expensive than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Montreal 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$15.92 CA$22.14

16.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$73.1 CA$102

-4.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$11.15 CA$15.50

-1.70%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.80 CA$5.29

-1.84%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.18 CA$3.03

-8.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.46 CA$2.03

17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$6.12 CA$8.51

-18.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$6.78 CA$9.42

-4.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.33 CA$3.24

-4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$3.39 CA$4.72

-21.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$3.73 CA$5.19

-12.60%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$3.38 CA$4.70

-0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$16.25 CA$22.60

-10.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$11.54 CA$16.05

12.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$15.24 CA$21.19

5.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$3.74 CA$5.20

15.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.70 CA$2.37

-20.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$4.11 CA$5.71

-6.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$4.35 CA$6.05

-3.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.71 CA$3.76

-2.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.62 CA$3.64

4.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.25 CA$3.13

22.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.73 CA$2.40

12.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$13.31 CA$18.51

12.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$10.78 CA$15.00

36.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$3.01 CA$4.19

-5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.46 CA$4.82

16.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$2.74 CA$3.81

2.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$72.7 CA$101

18.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$3.63 CA$5.05

-0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.46 CA$2.03

-9.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$33.44 CA$46.50

-13.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.21 CA$1.69

-7.44%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

0.85%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

1.35%

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

$217 CA$302

$76.0 CA$106

185.70%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$35.72 CA$49.68

16.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$42.86 CA$59.6

35.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$42.92 CA$59.7

27.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

$17.23 CA$23.97

206.56%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$11.09 CA$15.42

15.15%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$620 CA$862

41.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$5,834 CA$8,114

173.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$62.7 CA$87.1

-6.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$44.41 CA$61.8

4.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$101 CA$140

-13.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$119 CA$166

-8.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$1,211 CA$1,684

16.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$960 CA$1,334

22.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$2,035 CA$2,831

13.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$1,589 CA$2,210

18.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

$5,181 CA$7,205

-24.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$3,934 CA$5,470

-10.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$2,960 CA$4,116

6.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.01

13.97%

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

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,211 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 6% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $392, 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, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 6% more on average, 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,211 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 $73.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,063 in Montreal – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,523 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 22% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.