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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Cambridge versus $2,056 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,491 in Cambridge versus $3,112 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,520 in Cambridge versus $4,167 in Montreal.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 20% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 79% above, Montreal 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.18 CA$25.07

$17.85 CA$24.62

1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 CA$90.8

$72.3 CA$99.7

-8.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 CA$13.99

$10.92 CA$15.06

-7.14%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CA$4.84

$3.97 CA$5.47

-11.59%

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

$2.08 CA$2.86

$2.07 CA$2.86

0.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.85

$1.55 CA$2.13

-13.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 CA$7.65

$6.41 CA$8.85

-13.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.90

$7.29 CA$10.05

-11.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.91

$2.39 CA$3.29

-11.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 CA$3.04

$3.21 CA$4.42

-31.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.88

$3.07 CA$4.23

-8.47%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.69

$3.68 CA$5.07

-7.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 CA$14.68

$13.57 CA$18.72

-21.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 CA$16.33

$11.63 CA$16.03

1.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 CA$19.57

$13.97 CA$19.27

1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.37

$3.68 CA$5.08

5.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.62

$1.56 CA$2.15

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.95

$3.41 CA$4.70

26.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.56

$3.03 CA$4.17

33.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.58

$1.98 CA$2.74

31.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.69

$1.82 CA$2.52

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 CA$3.11

$2.56 CA$3.53

-11.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.39 CA$1.92

4.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.64 CA$18.81

$11.49 CA$15.85

18.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 CA$17.12

$10.92 CA$15.06

13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.40

$2.26 CA$3.12

8.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 CA$5.75

$3.01 CA$4.15

38.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.47

$2.69 CA$3.71

-6.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 CA$90.6

$75.3 CA$104

-12.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 CA$3.40

$3.35 CA$4.62

-26.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$1.50 CA$2.07

21.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.15 CA$31.93

$33.70 CA$46.47

-31.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.56

$1.29 CA$1.78

-12.40%

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

$26.8K CA$37.0K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

-5.16%

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

$19.7K CA$27.2K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

-1.15%

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

$148 CA$204

$80.4 CA$111

83.98%

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

$39.84 CA$54.9

$34.23 CA$47.21

16.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.93 CA$68.9

$41.39 CA$57.1

20.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.61 CA$39.45

$29.24 CA$40.32

-2.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.43

Cinema Ticket

$10.53 CA$14.52

$11.71 CA$16.15

-10.08%

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

$544 CA$750

$564 CA$778

-3.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$22.9K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

-1.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$79.0

$59.5 CA$82.1

-3.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 CA$48.57

$42.13 CA$58.1

-16.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 CA$102

$107 CA$148

-30.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$149

$111 CA$153

-2.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 CA$1,899

$1,284 CA$1,770

7.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 CA$1,836

$990 CA$1,365

34.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 CA$3,562

$2,260 CA$3,116

14.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 CA$2,863

$1,667 CA$2,299

24.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,291 CA$5,918

$5,287 CA$7,291

-18.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,884 CA$5,356

$3,813 CA$5,258

1.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,005 CA$4,145

$3,019 CA$4,163

-0.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.09

4.41

15.42%

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

Last update for Cambridge: August 30, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,377 in Cambridge and $1,284 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Cambridge vs $72.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $356 per month, with Cambridge 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 vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Montreal. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,377 in Cambridge versus $1,284 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cambridge pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $66.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,462 in Cambridge, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. 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 Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cambridge 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 20% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.