Cost of Living Comparison Between Gatineau and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Gatineau and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,075 per month in Gatineau vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,120 per month in Gatineau vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,166 per month in Gatineau vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Gatineau and Montreal have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Gatineau and Montreal sit above the global median – Gatineau by 55%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.20 CA$18.50

$16.52 CA$23.16

-20.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 CA$124

$74.0 CA$104

19.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.31

$10.94 CA$15.34

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.25 CA$4.56

$3.84 CA$5.39

-15.36%

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

$1.49 CA$2.09

$2.14 CA$2.99

-30.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.45 CA$2.03

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 CA$6.28

$6.13 CA$8.60

-26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 CA$9.01

$6.73 CA$9.44

-4.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CA$2.78

$2.35 CA$3.30

-15.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$3.34 CA$4.68

-8.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.98 CA$6.98

$3.74 CA$5.25

33.16%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.94

$3.39 CA$4.76

3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 CA$16.55

$16.30 CA$22.85

-27.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.49 CA$14.71

$11.81 CA$16.56

-11.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.44 CA$16.04

$15.64 CA$21.93

-26.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 CA$6.49

$3.69 CA$5.18

25.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.70 CA$2.39

-18.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 CA$6.78

$4.11 CA$5.76

17.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.23

$4.41 CA$6.18

-15.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$2.79 CA$3.91

-29.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$2.64 CA$3.70

-15.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 CA$3.05

$2.29 CA$3.21

-4.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$1.78 CA$2.50

56.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.11 CA$16.98

$13.17 CA$18.47

-8.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 CA$17.01

$10.64 CA$14.92

14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$2.99 CA$4.19

-19.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.06

$3.44 CA$4.82

-15.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 CA$4.75

$2.81 CA$3.94

20.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 CA$114

$72.8 CA$102

12.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 CA$5.41

$3.52 CA$4.93

9.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.45 CA$2.04

2.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.60 CA$47.10

$34.29 CA$48.08

-2.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$1.22 CA$1.72

-3.28%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

-1.35%

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

$20.5K CA$28.7K

$22.1K CA$31.0K

-7.47%

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

$112 CA$157

$76.5 CA$107

46.75%

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

$39.33 CA$55.1

$35.60 CA$49.91

10.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 CA$70.5

$42.96 CA$60.2

17.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.93 CA$61.6

$43.39 CA$60.8

1.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.26 CA$42.42

$16.83 CA$23.60

79.80%

Cinema Ticket

$11.08 CA$15.54

$11.09 CA$15.55

-0.09%

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

$581 CA$814

$625 CA$876

-6.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.2K

$5,896 CA$8,266

96.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 CA$88.6

$63.1 CA$88.5

0.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 CA$61.2

$44.50 CA$62.4

-1.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 CA$110

$103 CA$144

-23.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$118 CA$166

2.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 CA$1,539

$1,207 CA$1,692

-9.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 CA$1,408

$965 CA$1,353

4.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 CA$2,346

$2,031 CA$2,848

-17.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 CA$2,251

$1,577 CA$2,211

1.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,298 CA$7,428

$5,085 CA$7,129

4.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,114 CA$8,572

$3,783 CA$5,304

61.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,624 CA$3,679

$2,890 CA$4,051

-9.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.01

29.74%

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

Last update for Gatineau: July 11, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,098 in Gatineau versus $1,207 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 10% higher in Montreal. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Gatineau versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $370 in Gatineau vs $395 in Montreal – so Gatineau 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

Gatineau vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,113 per month in Gatineau and $3,127 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Gatineau and $74.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Gatineau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gatineau, where all-in costs run around $2,075, than in Montreal at $2,085. In Gatineau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gatineau costs $2,075 versus $2,085 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Gatineau. 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.