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: $2,391 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,065 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,444 in Cambridge Bay versus $3,180 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,497 in Cambridge Bay versus $4,296 in Montreal.

Living in Cambridge Bay is roughly 16% more expensive than Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge Bay 77% above, Montreal 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.58 CA$32.30

$16.08 CA$22.03

46.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$96.0

$73.8 CA$101

-5.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.22

$10.91 CA$14.95

1.83%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.02

$3.67 CA$5.03

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

$2.06 CA$2.83

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.32

$1.44 CA$1.97

18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 CA$7.67

$6.21 CA$8.50

-9.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 CA$8.28

$6.44 CA$8.82

-6.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.87

$2.34 CA$3.21

-10.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.58

$3.23 CA$4.42

-19.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.78

$3.84 CA$5.26

-9.11%

Eggs

$3.37 CA$4.62

$3.32 CA$4.54

1.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$16.35 CA$22.40

-32.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 CA$15.87

$11.92 CA$16.33

-2.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 CA$20.38

$15.10 CA$20.69

-1.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.45

$3.68 CA$5.04

8.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.69 CA$2.32

-17.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.05

$4.12 CA$5.64

-10.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.17

$4.29 CA$5.88

-11.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.40

$2.79 CA$3.82

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.48

$2.70 CA$3.70

-5.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.61

$2.17 CA$2.97

21.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.78 CA$2.44

-3.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 CA$18.87

$13.22 CA$18.12

4.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 CA$19.34

$11.04 CA$15.12

27.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.02

$2.97 CA$4.07

-1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.12

$3.44 CA$4.71

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.16

$2.80 CA$3.84

-17.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 CA$86.4

$72.2 CA$98.9

-12.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.46

$3.67 CA$5.03

-11.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.02

$1.40 CA$1.92

5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.78 CA$35.32

$34.07 CA$46.68

-24.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.54

$1.21 CA$1.66

-7.44%

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

$25.2K CA$34.5K

$25.3K CA$34.7K

-0.62%

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

$20.9K CA$28.6K

$21.9K CA$30.0K

-4.43%

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

$141 CA$193

$74.4 CA$102

89.58%

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

$43.08 CA$59.0

$36.64 CA$50.2

17.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CA$86.7

$43.41 CA$59.5

45.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.53 CA$56.9

$43.20 CA$59.2

-3.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 CA$15.55

$10.99 CA$15.06

3.28%

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

$746 CA$1,022

$614 CA$842

21.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.4K

$5,855 CA$8,022

104.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 CA$74.1

$62.6 CA$85.8

-13.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.24 CA$53.8

$44.25 CA$60.6

-11.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$103 CA$142

-16.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$148

$122 CA$167

-11.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 CA$1,805

$1,190 CA$1,631

10.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 CA$1,614

$946 CA$1,296

24.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 CA$2,710

$2,037 CA$2,791

-2.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,782 CA$2,442

$1,548 CA$2,120

15.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,344 CA$5,951

$5,398 CA$7,395

-19.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,392 CA$4,647

$4,014 CA$5,499

-15.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,128

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.01

28.94%

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

Last update for Cambridge Bay: April 13, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,318 in Cambridge Bay and $1,190 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70 in Cambridge Bay vs $74 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $392 per month, with Cambridge Bay cheaper across the board.

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 16% in total monthly costs ($2,391 vs $2,065 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,586 in Cambridge Bay and $3,097 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: $1,318 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,190 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,391 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $2,065 in Montreal – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 15% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,065 in Montreal versus $2,391 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 16% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.