Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,056 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,398 in Cambridge Bay versus $3,112 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,481 in Cambridge Bay versus $4,167 in Montreal.

Living in Cambridge Bay is roughly 13% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge Bay 69% above, Montreal 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.90 CA$31.69

$17.85 CA$24.70

28.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.5 CA$92.0

$72.3 CA$100

-8.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 CA$13.87

$10.92 CA$15.11

-8.15%

Cappuccino

$3.25 CA$4.49

$3.97 CA$5.49

-18.14%

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

$2.09 CA$2.89

$2.07 CA$2.87

0.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$1.55 CA$2.14

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.15 CA$7.12

$6.41 CA$8.88

-19.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 CA$8.66

$7.29 CA$10.09

-14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.90

$2.39 CA$3.30

-12.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 CA$3.64

$3.21 CA$4.44

-18.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.22

$3.07 CA$4.25

-0.65%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.87

$3.68 CA$5.09

-4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 CA$14.05

$13.57 CA$18.78

-25.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.11 CA$18.14

$11.63 CA$16.09

12.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$21.94

$13.97 CA$19.33

13.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.28

$3.68 CA$5.10

3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.85

$1.56 CA$2.16

-14.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.23

$3.41 CA$4.72

10.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.56

$3.03 CA$4.19

32.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 CA$3.15

$1.98 CA$2.74

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$1.82 CA$2.52

24.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.27

$2.56 CA$3.54

-7.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CA$2.21

$1.39 CA$1.92

15.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.70 CA$18.96

$11.49 CA$15.90

19.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CA$17.20

$10.92 CA$15.11

13.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.87

$2.26 CA$3.13

23.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.87

$3.01 CA$4.16

-6.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$2.69 CA$3.72

-16.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.9 CA$81.5

$75.3 CA$104

-21.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 CA$4.14

$3.35 CA$4.63

-10.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.23

$1.50 CA$2.08

7.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.82 CA$30.19

$33.70 CA$46.63

-35.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.29 CA$1.79

-8.53%

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

$30.7K CA$42.5K

$28.3K CA$39.1K

8.60%

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

$17.5K CA$24.2K

$20.0K CA$27.6K

-12.40%

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

$154 CA$214

$80.4 CA$111

92.10%

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

$38.97 CA$53.9

$34.23 CA$47.37

13.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 CA$78.2

$41.39 CA$57.3

36.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.35 CA$65.5

$29.24 CA$40.46

61.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.94 CA$22.06

$19.89 CA$27.52

-19.86%

Cinema Ticket

$10.80 CA$14.94

$11.71 CA$16.20

-7.77%

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

$849 CA$1,175

$564 CA$781

50.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K CA$16.8K

$16.8K CA$23.3K

-27.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.81 CA$67.5

$59.5 CA$82.3

-17.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.66 CA$50.7

$42.13 CA$58.3

-12.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 CA$113

$107 CA$148

-23.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$140

$111 CA$153

-8.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CA$1,707

$1,284 CA$1,776

-3.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 CA$1,708

$990 CA$1,370

24.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 CA$2,999

$2,260 CA$3,127

-4.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 CA$2,458

$1,667 CA$2,307

6.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,858 CA$6,722

$5,287 CA$7,316

-8.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,334 CA$4,613

$3,813 CA$5,276

-12.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,177

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.41

6.12%

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

Last update for Cambridge Bay: August 29, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,234 in Cambridge Bay and $1,284 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $67.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $364 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

Cambridge Bay vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge Bay and Montreal differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $2,056 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,473 in Cambridge Bay and $3,084 in Montreal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,234 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,284 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $2,056 in Montreal – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 28% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,316 in Cambridge Bay, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Cambridge Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cambridge Bay 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 13% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.