Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gilbert, AZ and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $2,781 in Gilbert, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gilbert, AZ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,781
/mo nomad
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,059
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gilbert, AZ and in Montreal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gilbert, AZ and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,781 in Gilbert, AZ versus $2,059 in Montreal.

  • Gilbert, AZ $2,781
  • Montreal $2,059

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,931 in Gilbert, AZ versus $3,123 in Montreal.

  • Gilbert, AZ $3,931
  • Montreal $3,123

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,082 in Gilbert, AZ versus $4,187 in Montreal.

  • Gilbert, AZ $5,082
  • Montreal $4,187

Living in Gilbert, AZ is roughly 35% more expensive than in Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gilbert, AZ 105% above, Montreal 52% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gilbert, AZ
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.72 $19.72
$18.84 CA$26.63
4.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.2 $76.2
$73.2 CA$104
4.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.32 $11.32
$10.54 CA$14.90
7.40%
Cappuccino
$4.95 $4.95
$3.97 CA$5.61
24.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 $2.66
$1.94 CA$2.74
37.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.57 CA$2.22
9.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.36 $6.36
$6.42 CA$9.08
-0.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.31 $6.31
$7.20 CA$10.19
-12.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gilbert, AZ
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 $1.01
$2.32 CA$3.28
-56.47%
White Bread (500g)
$3.34 $3.34
$3.19 CA$4.51
4.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.23 $5.23
$3.19 CA$4.50
63.95%
Eggs
$3.76 $3.76
$3.68 CA$5.20
2.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.83 $11.83
$13.24 CA$18.72
-10.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.05 $11.05
$11.69 CA$16.53
-5.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.38 $13.38
$13.98 CA$19.76
-4.29%
Apples (1kg)
$4.49 $4.49
$3.14 CA$4.44
42.99%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.45 CA$2.05
35.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$3.38 CA$4.78
16.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.21 $4.21
$3.11 CA$4.40
35.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.54 $2.54
$1.93 CA$2.72
31.61%
Onion (1kg)
$1.84 $1.84
$1.83 CA$2.58
0.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 $1.96
$2.36 CA$3.34
-16.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.15 $2.15
$1.50 CA$2.12
43.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.37 $10.37
$11.12 CA$15.73
-6.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.74 $13.74
$10.60 CA$14.98
29.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.12 $2.12
$2.22 CA$3.14
-4.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 $3.32
$2.84 CA$4.01
16.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Gilbert, AZ
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.98 $0.98
$2.62 CA$3.71
-62.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.52 $32.52
$79.1 CA$112
-58.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.72 $2.72
$3.23 CA$4.56
-15.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.40 $1.40
$1.48 CA$2.10
-5.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.46 $36.46
$32.22 CA$45.55
13.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.36 CA$1.92
-27.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K $36.2K
$27.6K CA$39.1K
31.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$21.2K CA$30.0K
26.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gilbert, AZ
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 $183
$77.0 CA$109
137.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$62.6 $62.6
$34.14 CA$48.26
83.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.1 $73.1
$42.19 CA$59.7
73.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gilbert, AZ
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.8 $60.8
$30.81 CA$43.56
97.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.66 CA$27.79
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.96 $11.96
$11.47 CA$16.22
4.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gilbert, AZ
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$708 $708
$506 CA$716
39.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K $15.6K
$16.2K CA$23.0K
-3.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gilbert, AZ
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.4 $50.4
$57.3 CA$81.0
-11.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.03 $44.03
$38.10 CA$53.9
15.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.0 $89.0
$91.9 CA$130
-3.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 $116
$110 CA$155
5.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gilbert, AZ
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,726 $1,726
$1,237 CA$1,748
39.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,512 $1,512
$977 CA$1,381
54.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,827 $2,827
$2,180 CA$3,082
29.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,282 $2,282
$1,608 CA$2,273
41.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,296 $5,296
$5,113 CA$7,228
3.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,683 $4,683
$3,744 CA$5,293
25.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gilbert, AZ
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,336 $5,336
$2,957 CA$4,180
80.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.44
4.48
43.75%

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

Last update for Gilbert, AZ: October 20, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gilbert, AZ
$1.5K
Montreal
$977 35.4% $535
Groceries & Markets
Gilbert, AZ
$371
Montreal
$351 5.4% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gilbert, AZ
$319
Montreal
$153 51.9% $166
Eating Out
Gilbert, AZ
$313
Montreal
$290 7.2% $23
Clothing & Footwear
Gilbert, AZ
$135
Montreal
$134 0.7% $0.9
Sport & Entertainment
Gilbert, AZ
$85
Montreal
$54 36.5% $31
Getting Around
Gilbert, AZ
$46
Montreal
$100 117% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,726 in Gilbert, AZ and $1,237 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gilbert, AZ pays 80% 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: $76.0 in Gilbert, AZ vs $73.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $351 per month, with Montreal cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Gilbert, AZ
🇨🇦 Montreal
🕒 Local time
09:58 9:58 AM
12:58 12:58 PM
3 h ahead of Gilbert, AZ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
208,453
1,762,949
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gilbert, AZ Montreal 3,510 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gilbert, AZ
  • Montreal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Gilbert, AZ vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gilbert, AZ or Montreal?
Montreal wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Gilbert, AZ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montreal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gilbert, AZ or in Montreal?
Average pay runs 80% higher in Gilbert, AZ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Gilbert, AZ compared to Montreal?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,726 in Gilbert, AZ versus $1,237 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Gilbert, AZ and in Montreal?
Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $76.0 in Gilbert, AZ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Gilbert, AZ compared to Montreal?
All in, you'll spend $2,781 per month in Gilbert, AZ versus $2,059 in Montreal – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Gilbert, AZ or in Montreal?
At $2,059 in Montreal versus $2,781 in Gilbert, AZ, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Gilbert, AZ. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gilbert, AZ or Montreal?
Both work as nomad bases, but Montreal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,059 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Montreal hard to pass up.
How safe is Gilbert, AZ compared to Montreal?
Safety-wise, Gilbert, AZ 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Gilbert, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Gilbert, AZ vs other spots: cost of living compared

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