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 $2,085 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,522 in Cambridge versus $3,174 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Cambridge versus $4,262 in Montreal.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 18% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 84% above, Montreal 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 CA$20.85

$16.52 CA$23.24

-10.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 CA$91.7

$74.0 CA$104

-11.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 CA$14.07

$10.94 CA$15.40

-8.59%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.18

$3.84 CA$5.41

-4.17%

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

$2.21 CA$3.11

$2.14 CA$3.01

3.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.27

$1.45 CA$2.04

11.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.21

$6.13 CA$8.63

-4.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 CA$9.22

$6.73 CA$9.47

-2.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$2.35 CA$3.31

-5.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$3.34 CA$4.69

-32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.21

$3.74 CA$5.27

-20.05%

Eggs

$3.20 CA$4.50

$3.39 CA$4.77

-5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 CA$12.20

$16.30 CA$22.93

-46.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.81

$11.81 CA$16.62

1.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 CA$19.35

$15.64 CA$22.01

-12.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.69 CA$5.20

8.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.70 CA$2.39

-28.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.18

$4.11 CA$5.79

-10.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.51

$4.41 CA$6.20

-11.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$2.79 CA$3.93

-2.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$2.64 CA$3.72

-6.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.29 CA$3.22

-2.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.21

$1.78 CA$2.51

-11.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.40 CA$18.85

$13.17 CA$18.53

1.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 CA$17.24

$10.64 CA$14.97

15.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$2.99 CA$4.20

-18.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.45

$3.44 CA$4.83

-8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$2.81 CA$3.95

-8.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 CA$93.7

$72.8 CA$102

-8.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 CA$3.67

$3.52 CA$4.95

-25.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$1.45 CA$2.05

17.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.84 CA$33.54

$34.29 CA$48.26

-30.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.22 CA$1.72

-9.02%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

0.57%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-8.36%

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

$151 CA$212

$76.5 CA$108

97.20%

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

$39.94 CA$56.2

$35.60 CA$50.1

12.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 CA$76.1

$42.96 CA$60.5

25.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.81 CA$41.94

$43.39 CA$61.1

-31.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$16.26

$11.09 CA$15.60

4.15%

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

$556 CA$782

$625 CA$879

-11.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K CA$14.7K

$5,896 CA$8,296

76.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$78.0

$63.1 CA$88.8

-12.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.68 CA$48.80

$44.50 CA$62.6

-22.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 CA$99.4

$103 CA$145

-31.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$118 CA$166

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 CA$1,984

$1,207 CA$1,699

16.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 CA$1,938

$965 CA$1,358

42.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,684 CA$3,776

$2,031 CA$2,858

32.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 CA$2,993

$1,577 CA$2,219

34.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,165 CA$5,861

$5,085 CA$7,155

-18.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,848 CA$5,414

$3,783 CA$5,324

1.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,007 CA$4,231

$2,890 CA$4,066

4.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

5.01

32.53%

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

Last update for Cambridge: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,410 in Cambridge and $1,207 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 4% 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: $65.0 in Cambridge vs $74.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $395 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Cambridge, 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: $1,410 in Cambridge versus $1,207 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cambridge pay roughly 15% 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 $74.0 versus $65.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,085 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 18% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.