Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort McMurray and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort McMurray and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,345 per month in Fort McMurray vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,430 per month in Fort McMurray vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,514 per month in Fort McMurray vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Fort McMurray costs about 14% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Fort McMurray and Montreal sit above the global median – Fort McMurray by 75%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.67 CA$35.55

$15.92 CA$22.05

61.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 CA$82.7

$73.1 CA$101

-18.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.49 CA$20.07

$11.15 CA$15.43

29.96%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.21

$3.80 CA$5.26

-1.05%

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

$2.71 CA$3.75

$2.18 CA$3.01

24.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.30

$1.46 CA$2.02

13.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.20

$6.12 CA$8.48

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 CA$7.84

$6.78 CA$9.38

-16.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$2.33 CA$3.22

-37.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$3.39 CA$4.69

-14.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$3.73 CA$5.16

-21.18%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.46

$3.38 CA$4.68

-4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 CA$15.91

$16.25 CA$22.50

-29.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.52 CA$20.10

$11.54 CA$15.98

25.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 CA$21.60

$15.24 CA$21.10

2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.54

$3.74 CA$5.18

6.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 CA$3.24

$1.70 CA$2.36

37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.14 CA$7.12

$4.11 CA$5.68

25.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.53 CA$9.05

$4.35 CA$6.02

50.11%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 CA$7.15

$2.71 CA$3.75

90.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.68

$2.62 CA$3.62

29.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 CA$4.14

$2.25 CA$3.12

32.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.73 CA$2.39

-22.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.51 CA$22.86

$13.31 CA$18.43

24.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 CA$19.89

$10.78 CA$14.93

33.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.76

$3.01 CA$4.17

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$3.46 CA$4.80

-34.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 CA$1.99

$2.74 CA$3.79

-47.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.86 CA$69.0

$72.7 CA$101

-31.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$3.63 CA$5.03

-10.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.88

$1.46 CA$2.02

-6.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.65 CA$31.36

$33.44 CA$46.30

-32.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.46

$1.21 CA$1.68

-12.40%

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

$25.3K CA$35.1K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

2.84%

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

$22.9K CA$31.7K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

5.44%

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

$199 CA$276

$76.0 CA$105

162.21%

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

$42.00 CA$58.2

$35.72 CA$49.46

17.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 CA$89.3

$42.86 CA$59.4

50.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.55 CA$63.1

$42.92 CA$59.4

6.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

Cinema Ticket

$14.61 CA$20.22

$11.09 CA$15.35

31.74%

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

$961 CA$1,330

$620 CA$858

55.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.3K

$5,834 CA$8,078

101.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 CA$100

$62.7 CA$86.8

15.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 CA$55.0

$44.41 CA$61.5

-10.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 CA$113

$101 CA$139

-19.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 CA$121

$119 CA$165

-26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 CA$1,345

$1,211 CA$1,677

-19.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 CA$1,387

$960 CA$1,329

4.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,119

$2,035 CA$2,818

-24.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 CA$2,206

$1,589 CA$2,201

0.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,759 CA$3,820

$5,181 CA$7,173

-46.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,914 CA$2,651

$3,934 CA$5,446

-51.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,061 CA$4,239

$2,960 CA$4,098

3.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.01

33.13%

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

Last update for Fort McMurray: May 30, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $971 in Fort McMurray 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 3% higher in Fort McMurray, 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 $60.0 in Fort McMurray versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $410 in Fort McMurray vs $392 in Montreal – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 McMurray vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,345 in Fort McMurray, $2,063 in Montreal – roughly 14% apart. Fort McMurray costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,518 per month in Fort McMurray 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 Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,345 in Fort McMurray and $2,063 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 46% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,063, than in Fort McMurray at $2,345. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort McMurray it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,063 in Montreal to $2,345 in Fort McMurray. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fort McMurray makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.