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: $2,292 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $2,085 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,490 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $3,174 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,687 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $4,262 in Montreal.

Living in Fort Frances, Ontario is roughly 10% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Frances, Ontario 72% above, Montreal 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.67

$16.52 CA$23.24

10.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 CA$81.4

$74.0 CA$104

-21.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.63 CA$17.77

$10.94 CA$15.40

15.45%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.31

$3.84 CA$5.41

-1.82%

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

$1.89 CA$2.66

$2.14 CA$3.01

-11.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.13

$1.45 CA$2.04

4.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 CA$7.70

$6.13 CA$8.63

-10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$6.73 CA$9.47

-22.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$2.35 CA$3.31

8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$3.34 CA$4.69

-24.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.93

$3.74 CA$5.27

-6.42%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$3.39 CA$4.77

4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.35 CA$24.41

$16.30 CA$22.93

6.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.04 CA$18.35

$11.81 CA$16.62

10.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 CA$16.00

$15.64 CA$22.01

-27.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.83

$3.69 CA$5.20

-7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$1.70 CA$2.39

-25.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.78

$4.11 CA$5.79

-0.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.29

$4.41 CA$6.20

-14.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.83

$2.79 CA$3.93

-2.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 CA$3.04

$2.64 CA$3.72

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 CA$4.28

$2.29 CA$3.22

32.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$2.01

$1.78 CA$2.51

-19.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.99 CA$15.46

$13.17 CA$18.53

-16.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 CA$17.21

$10.64 CA$14.97

14.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 CA$2.98

$2.99 CA$4.20

-29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 CA$3.07

$3.44 CA$4.83

-36.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.41

$2.81 CA$3.95

-13.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 CA$88.0

$72.8 CA$102

-14.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$3.52 CA$4.95

-5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.45 CA$2.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.54 CA$35.94

$34.29 CA$48.26

-25.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.59

$1.22 CA$1.72

-7.38%

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

$24.6K CA$34.6K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-2.72%

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

$19.8K CA$27.9K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-10.39%

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

$105 CA$148

$76.5 CA$108

37.45%

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

$17.73 CA$24.95

$35.60 CA$50.1

-50.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 CA$79.9

$42.96 CA$60.5

32.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 CA$60.0

$43.39 CA$61.1

-1.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 CA$18.42

$11.09 CA$15.60

18.03%

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

$735 CA$1,034

$625 CA$879

17.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.6K

$5,896 CA$8,296

99.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$84.7

$63.1 CA$88.8

-4.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 CA$52.1

$44.50 CA$62.6

-16.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 CA$107

$103 CA$145

-25.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 CA$196

$118 CA$166

17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 CA$1,129

$1,207 CA$1,699

-33.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 CA$1,634

$965 CA$1,358

20.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,666 CA$2,345

$2,031 CA$2,858

-17.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,150 CA$3,025

$1,577 CA$2,219

36.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 CA$5,629

$5,085 CA$7,155

-21.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,494 CA$4,917

$3,783 CA$5,324

-7.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,572 CA$5,026

$2,890 CA$4,066

23.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

-20.16%

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

Last update for Fort Frances, Ontario: July 13, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $803 in Fort Frances, Ontario and $1,207 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Frances, Ontario pays 24% 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: $58.0 in Fort Frances, Ontario vs $74.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $395 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 Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $803 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $1,207 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $735 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $625 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 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,085 in Montreal versus $2,292 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 10% less than in Fort Frances, Ontario. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.