Cost of Living Comparison Between Dawson City and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Dawson City and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,909 per month in Dawson City vs $2,108 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Dawson City vs $3,226 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,759 per month in Dawson City vs $4,344 in Montreal, rent included.

Dawson City is about 9% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dawson City and Montreal sit above the global median – Dawson City by 38%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.68 CA$35.61

$17.83 CA$24.73

44.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 CA$147

$73.6 CA$102

44.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.82

$10.81 CA$15.00

-1.20%

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.57

$3.92 CA$5.44

2.55%

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

$1.83 CA$2.53

$2.04 CA$2.84

-10.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.25

$1.52 CA$2.11

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.37 CA$7.44

$6.59 CA$9.14

-18.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 CA$8.21

$7.14 CA$9.90

-17.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 CA$3.71

$2.37 CA$3.28

13.08%

White Bread (500g)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$3.23 CA$4.48

31.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.94 CA$6.84

$2.95 CA$4.10

67.46%

Eggs

$5.03 CA$6.98

$3.69 CA$5.12

36.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 CA$13.79

$13.65 CA$18.93

-27.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.84 CA$20.58

$11.94 CA$16.56

24.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.64 CA$20.30

$14.07 CA$19.52

4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.87

$3.61 CA$5.01

17.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.55 CA$2.15

-14.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 CA$5.96

$3.29 CA$4.56

30.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.92

$3.07 CA$4.26

39.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.53

$2.00 CA$2.78

27.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$1.90 CA$2.64

16.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$2.64 CA$3.66

-1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CA$2.22

$1.39 CA$1.93

15.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 CA$20.01

$11.80 CA$16.36

22.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 CA$17.43

$10.80 CA$14.98

16.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.37 CA$3.29

11.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CA$4.31

$2.90 CA$4.02

7.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.35

$2.74 CA$3.79

-12.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 CA$87.6

$77.1 CA$107

-18.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 CA$3.98

$3.31 CA$4.59

-13.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$1.46 CA$2.02

-0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.13 CA$33.47

$32.98 CA$45.74

-26.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.31 CA$1.82

-9.92%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$28.7K CA$39.8K

-1.08%

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

$19.3K CA$26.8K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

-5.38%

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

$140 CA$195

$79.9 CA$111

75.63%

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

$39.49 CA$54.8

$34.79 CA$48.25

13.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 CA$77.3

$42.55 CA$59.0

31.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.92 CA$58.1

$29.20 CA$40.50

43.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.59 CA$25.78

$20.33 CA$28.20

-8.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 CA$15.61

$11.48 CA$15.93

-1.92%

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

$762 CA$1,057

$565 CA$784

34.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K CA$18.5K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

-19.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 CA$91.4

$60.2 CA$83.5

9.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 CA$54.4

$41.87 CA$58.1

-6.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 CA$95.4

$104 CA$144

-33.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$142

$113 CA$156

-9.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,787

$1,294 CA$1,795

-0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 CA$956

$1,014 CA$1,407

-32.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 CA$2,757

$2,271 CA$3,149

-12.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 CA$2,374

$1,683 CA$2,334

1.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,254 CA$5,900

$5,156 CA$7,151

-17.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,714 CA$5,151

$3,842 CA$5,328

-3.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,895 CA$4,014

$3,032 CA$4,205

-4.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.44

5.41%

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

Last update for Dawson City: September 7, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Dawson City versus $1,294 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 5% higher in Montreal, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $106 in Dawson City versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $358 – making Montreal 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

Dawson City vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,864 per month in Dawson City and $3,163 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $762 per month in Dawson City and $565 in Montreal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Montreal – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Dawson City, where all-in costs run around $1,909, than in Montreal at $2,108. In Dawson City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dawson City – 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 Dawson City. 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.