Cost of Living Comparison Between Cold Lake and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Cold Lake and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,029 per month in Cold Lake vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,036 per month in Cold Lake vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,044 per month in Cold Lake vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Cold Lake is about 2% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cold Lake and Montreal sit above the global median – Cold Lake by 51%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.75

$15.92 CA$22.05

16.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.6 CA$85.3

$73.1 CA$101

-15.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 CA$15.83

$11.15 CA$15.43

2.51%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.30

$3.80 CA$5.26

0.79%

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

$2.15 CA$2.97

$2.18 CA$3.01

-1.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.46 CA$2.02

2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 CA$7.92

$6.12 CA$8.48

-6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 CA$8.18

$6.78 CA$9.38

-12.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$2.33 CA$3.22

-54.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 CA$2.83

$3.39 CA$4.69

-39.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.37

$3.73 CA$5.16

-15.28%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$4.96

$3.38 CA$4.68

5.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 CA$15.94

$16.25 CA$22.50

-29.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.75 CA$17.65

$11.54 CA$15.98

10.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.06 CA$22.24

$15.24 CA$21.10

5.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 CA$6.39

$3.74 CA$5.18

23.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.70 CA$2.36

-34.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.62

$4.11 CA$5.68

-54.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$4.35 CA$6.02

-49.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.71 CA$3.75

-12.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 CA$1.49

$2.62 CA$3.62

-58.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$2.25 CA$3.12

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$1.73 CA$2.39

11.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.43 CA$17.22

$13.31 CA$18.43

-6.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.26 CA$16.97

$10.78 CA$14.93

13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CA$4.12

$3.01 CA$4.17

-1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$3.46 CA$4.80

-5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.34

$2.74 CA$3.79

-11.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$87.1

$72.7 CA$101

-13.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 CA$4.48

$3.63 CA$5.03

-10.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 CA$2.29

$1.46 CA$2.02

13.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.09 CA$31.96

$33.44 CA$46.30

-30.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 CA$1.39

$1.21 CA$1.68

-16.53%

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

$25.0K CA$34.6K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

1.33%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

1.52%

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

$204 CA$283

$76.0 CA$105

168.63%

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

$44.18 CA$61.2

$35.72 CA$49.46

23.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 CA$90.4

$42.86 CA$59.4

52.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 CA$59.0

$42.92 CA$59.4

-0.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

Cinema Ticket

$13.46 CA$18.63

$11.09 CA$15.35

21.37%

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

$708 CA$980

$620 CA$858

14.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.2K

$5,834 CA$8,078

101.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.96 CA$41.48

$62.7 CA$86.8

-52.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.74 CA$50.9

$44.41 CA$61.5

-17.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 CA$75.7

$101 CA$139

-45.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 CA$129

$119 CA$165

-21.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 CA$1,245

$1,211 CA$1,677

-25.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 CA$1,200

$960 CA$1,329

-9.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,235

$2,035 CA$2,818

-20.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 CA$2,100

$1,589 CA$2,201

-4.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,173

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,446

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,146 CA$4,356

$2,960 CA$4,098

6.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.01

21.36%

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

Last update for Cold Lake: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $899 in Cold Lake versus $1,211 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Cold Lake, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Cold Lake versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $342 vs $392 – making Cold Lake the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cold Lake vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,043 per month in Cold Lake and $3,094 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cold Lake, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Cold Lake and $73.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,029 in Cold Lake and $2,063 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Cold Lake, where all-in costs run around $2,029, than in Montreal at $2,063. In Cold Lake it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cold Lake – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cold Lake. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.