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 $2,063 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,434 in Cambridge Bay versus $3,159 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,477 in Cambridge Bay versus $4,255 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 78% above, Montreal 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.39 CA$32.60

$15.92 CA$22.19

46.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 CA$95.6

$73.1 CA$102

-6.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.25

$11.15 CA$15.53

-1.88%

Cappuccino

$3.72 CA$5.19

$3.80 CA$5.30

-2.11%

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

$2.03 CA$2.83

$2.18 CA$3.03

-6.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.46 CA$2.03

17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.50 CA$7.67

$6.12 CA$8.53

-10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 CA$8.02

$6.78 CA$9.44

-15.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CA$2.98

$2.33 CA$3.24

-8.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.75

$3.39 CA$4.73

-20.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.86

$3.73 CA$5.20

-6.43%

Eggs

$3.41 CA$4.76

$3.38 CA$4.71

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 CA$15.71

$16.25 CA$22.65

-30.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 CA$16.19

$11.54 CA$16.08

0.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.96 CA$20.84

$15.24 CA$21.23

-1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.55

$3.74 CA$5.21

6.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.70 CA$2.38

-20.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.09

$4.11 CA$5.72

-11.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.12

$4.35 CA$6.06

-15.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.49

$2.71 CA$3.77

-7.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 CA$3.59

$2.62 CA$3.64

-1.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.53

$2.25 CA$3.14

12.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.73 CA$2.41

-0.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 CA$19.53

$13.31 CA$18.55

5.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 CA$17.64

$10.78 CA$15.03

17.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.06

$3.01 CA$4.20

-2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CA$4.43

$3.46 CA$4.83

-8.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.25

$2.74 CA$3.82

-14.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$87.6

$72.7 CA$101

-13.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 CA$4.34

$3.63 CA$5.06

-14.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.46 CA$2.03

1.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.61 CA$35.69

$33.44 CA$46.61

-23.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.62

$1.21 CA$1.69

-4.13%

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

$25.5K CA$35.6K

$24.6K CA$34.4K

3.50%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-5.66%

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

$143 CA$199

$76.0 CA$106

88.07%

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

$43.58 CA$60.7

$35.72 CA$49.79

22.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 CA$88.4

$42.86 CA$59.7

47.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.41 CA$59.1

$42.92 CA$59.8

-1.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$24.02

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$16.10

$11.09 CA$15.45

4.15%

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

$737 CA$1,028

$620 CA$863

19.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.3K

$5,834 CA$8,131

100.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 CA$77.3

$62.7 CA$87.3

-11.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.34 CA$54.8

$44.41 CA$61.9

-11.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 CA$119

$101 CA$140

-14.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$146

$119 CA$166

-11.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 CA$1,797

$1,211 CA$1,688

6.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 CA$1,663

$960 CA$1,337

24.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 CA$2,857

$2,035 CA$2,837

0.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 CA$2,510

$1,589 CA$2,215

13.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,799 CA$6,688

$5,181 CA$7,220

-7.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,142 CA$5,772

$3,934 CA$5,482

5.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,125

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,290 in Cambridge Bay and $1,211 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $73.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 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 $2,063 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 $3,094 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: $1,290 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,211 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 $2,063 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 16% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,063 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.