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: $2,265 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $2,063 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,436 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $3,159 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,607 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $4,255 in Montreal.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Frances, Ontario 69% above, Montreal 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.49 CA$25.71

$15.92 CA$22.14

16.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 CA$81.3

$73.1 CA$102

-19.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.48 CA$17.35

$11.15 CA$15.50

11.93%

Cappuccino

$3.60 CA$5.01

$3.80 CA$5.29

-5.26%

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

$1.80 CA$2.51

$2.18 CA$3.03

-17.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.06

$1.46 CA$2.03

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.22

$6.12 CA$8.51

-15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 CA$7.20

$6.78 CA$9.42

-23.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 CA$3.43

$2.33 CA$3.24

5.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 CA$3.45

$3.39 CA$4.72

-26.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.74

$3.73 CA$5.19

-8.58%

Eggs

$3.72 CA$5.17

$3.38 CA$4.70

10.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 CA$24.61

$16.25 CA$22.60

8.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.06 CA$18.16

$11.54 CA$16.05

13.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.45 CA$15.93

$15.24 CA$21.19

-24.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.82

$3.74 CA$5.20

-7.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.84

$1.70 CA$2.37

-22.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.49

$4.11 CA$5.71

-3.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.06

$4.35 CA$6.05

-16.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$2.71 CA$3.76

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$2.62 CA$3.64

-18.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 CA$4.29

$2.25 CA$3.13

36.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$1.73 CA$2.40

-16.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CA$15.15

$13.31 CA$18.51

-18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.94 CA$16.61

$10.78 CA$15.00

10.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 CA$2.97

$3.01 CA$4.19

-29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CA$3.10

$3.46 CA$4.82

-35.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.39

$2.74 CA$3.81

-11.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 CA$87.8

$72.7 CA$101

-13.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 CA$4.73

$3.63 CA$5.05

-6.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.46 CA$2.03

-1.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.26 CA$36.52

$33.44 CA$46.50

-21.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.21 CA$1.69

-7.44%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

0.01%

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

$20.3K CA$28.2K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-6.57%

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

$107 CA$148

$76.0 CA$106

40.15%

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

$17.66 CA$24.56

$35.72 CA$49.68

-50.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 CA$77.4

$42.86 CA$59.6

29.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 CA$57.9

$42.92 CA$59.7

-2.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 CA$18.48

$11.09 CA$15.42

19.84%

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

$747 CA$1,039

$620 CA$862

20.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.5K

$5,834 CA$8,114

103.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 CA$82.4

$62.7 CA$87.1

-5.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.26 CA$50.4

$44.41 CA$61.8

-18.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 CA$104

$101 CA$140

-25.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 CA$194

$119 CA$166

17.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 CA$1,113

$1,211 CA$1,684

-33.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 CA$1,653

$960 CA$1,334

23.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 CA$2,382

$2,035 CA$2,831

-15.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 CA$3,003

$1,589 CA$2,210

35.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,043 CA$7,014

$5,181 CA$7,205

-2.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,375 CA$6,084

$3,934 CA$5,470

11.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,656 CA$5,084

$2,960 CA$4,116

23.50%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $800 in Fort Frances, Ontario and $1,211 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 $73.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $392 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.

Fort Frances, Ontario pays 24% more on average, 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: $800 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $1,211 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $747 in Fort Frances, Ontario versus $620 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 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,265 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.