Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Frances, Ontario and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Frances, Ontario and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,224 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $2,056 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,235 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $3,112 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,246 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $4,167 in Montreal.

Living in Fort Frances, Ontario is roughly 8% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Frances, Ontario 62% above, Montreal 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.37 CA$25.42

$17.85 CA$24.70

2.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 CA$92.8

$72.3 CA$100

-7.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 CA$14.45

$10.92 CA$15.11

-4.40%

Cappuccino

$3.57 CA$4.94

$3.97 CA$5.49

-10.08%

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

$2.07 CA$2.86

$2.07 CA$2.87

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.55 CA$2.14

10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.65 CA$7.82

$6.41 CA$8.88

-11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CA$7.47

$7.29 CA$10.09

-25.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 CA$2.83

$2.39 CA$3.30

-14.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$3.21 CA$4.44

-17.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.31

$3.07 CA$4.25

25.08%

Eggs

$3.98 CA$5.50

$3.68 CA$5.09

8.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.91 CA$15.10

$13.57 CA$18.78

-19.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.13 CA$14.02

$11.63 CA$16.09

-12.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 CA$20.05

$13.97 CA$19.33

3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.21

$3.68 CA$5.10

2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 CA$2.06

$1.56 CA$2.16

-4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.10

$3.41 CA$4.72

8.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.71

$3.03 CA$4.19

12.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.47

$1.98 CA$2.74

26.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$1.82 CA$2.52

31.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.06

$2.56 CA$3.54

-13.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$1.39 CA$1.92

30.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 CA$19.87

$11.49 CA$15.90

24.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 CA$19.31

$10.92 CA$15.11

27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CA$3.35

$2.26 CA$3.13

7.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.84

$3.01 CA$4.16

-7.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.20

$2.69 CA$3.72

-14.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.9 CA$92.5

$75.3 CA$104

-11.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 CA$3.55

$3.35 CA$4.63

-23.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 CA$2.21

$1.50 CA$2.08

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.18 CA$34.85

$33.70 CA$46.63

-25.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 CA$1.47

$1.29 CA$1.79

-17.05%

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

$29.2K CA$40.4K

$28.3K CA$39.1K

3.13%

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

$18.8K CA$25.9K

$20.0K CA$27.6K

-6.03%

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

$105 CA$145

$80.4 CA$111

30.50%

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

$39.73 CA$55.0

$34.23 CA$47.37

16.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 CA$70.1

$41.39 CA$57.3

22.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.56 CA$50.6

$29.24 CA$40.46

25.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.07 CA$27.77

$19.89 CA$27.52

0.90%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 CA$13.84

$11.71 CA$16.20

-14.60%

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

$670 CA$927

$564 CA$781

18.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K CA$20.7K

$16.8K CA$23.3K

-11.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 CA$75.3

$59.5 CA$82.3

-8.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.67 CA$47.97

$42.13 CA$58.3

-17.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 CA$114

$107 CA$148

-23.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 CA$162

$111 CA$153

5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 CA$1,772

$1,284 CA$1,776

-0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 CA$1,387

$990 CA$1,370

1.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,760

$2,260 CA$3,127

-11.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 CA$2,408

$1,667 CA$2,307

4.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,700 CA$5,120

$5,287 CA$7,316

-30.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,388 CA$4,688

$3,813 CA$5,276

-11.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,605 CA$4,989

$3,019 CA$4,177

19.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.41

6.12%

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

Last update for Fort Frances, Ontario: August 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,281 in Fort Frances, Ontario and $1,284 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Frances, Ontario pays 19% 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: $67.0 in Fort Frances, Ontario vs $72.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $356 per month, with Fort Frances, Ontario 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

Fort Frances, Ontario vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Fort Frances, Ontario, 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: $1,281 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $1,284 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $670 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $564 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Fort Frances, Ontario pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,224 in Fort Frances, Ontario, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Fort Frances, Ontario. 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 Fort Frances, Ontario, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fort Frances, Ontario 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 8% less than in Fort Frances, Ontario. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.