Cost of Living Comparison Between Guelph and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Guelph and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,675 in Guelph versus $2,085 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,676 in Guelph versus $3,174 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,677 in Guelph versus $4,262 in Montreal.

Living in Guelph is roughly 28% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Guelph 100% above, Montreal 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.42 CA$28.74

$16.52 CA$23.24

23.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$104

$74.0 CA$104

-0.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.99 CA$16.87

$10.94 CA$15.40

9.60%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.22

$3.84 CA$5.41

-3.39%

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

$1.84 CA$2.60

$2.14 CA$3.01

-14.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.45

$1.45 CA$2.04

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 CA$7.28

$6.13 CA$8.63

-15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 CA$8.35

$6.73 CA$9.47

-11.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$2.35 CA$3.31

-10.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$3.34 CA$4.69

-18.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.62

$3.74 CA$5.27

-12.03%

Eggs

$3.11 CA$4.38

$3.39 CA$4.77

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 CA$12.80

$16.30 CA$22.93

-44.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 CA$12.38

$11.81 CA$16.62

-25.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$15.64 CA$22.01

63.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.88

$3.69 CA$5.20

13.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 CA$1.22

$1.70 CA$2.39

-49.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.55

$4.11 CA$5.79

-21.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.11

$4.41 CA$6.20

-49.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 CA$4.00

$2.79 CA$3.93

1.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.73

$2.64 CA$3.72

0.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$2.29 CA$3.22

3.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.78 CA$2.51

-16.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 CA$15.69

$13.17 CA$18.53

-15.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 CA$15.23

$10.64 CA$14.97

1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.99 CA$4.20

-8.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$3.44 CA$4.83

-20.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.39

$2.81 CA$3.95

-14.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.4 CA$87.8

$72.8 CA$102

-14.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 CA$3.37

$3.52 CA$4.95

-32.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.45 CA$2.05

17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.54 CA$45.79

$34.29 CA$48.26

-5.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.62

$1.22 CA$1.72

-5.74%

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

$25.1K CA$35.4K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-0.51%

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

$21.1K CA$29.8K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-4.48%

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

$135 CA$190

$76.5 CA$108

76.10%

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

$54.2 CA$76.3

$35.60 CA$50.1

52.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 CA$87.8

$42.96 CA$60.5

45.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 CA$77.4

$43.39 CA$61.1

26.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.64 CA$26.23

$16.83 CA$23.68

10.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 CA$15.63

$11.09 CA$15.60

0.18%

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

$953 CA$1,341

$625 CA$879

52.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K CA$15.3K

$5,896 CA$8,296

84.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 CA$87.7

$63.1 CA$88.8

-1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.02 CA$54.9

$44.50 CA$62.6

-12.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 CA$122

$103 CA$145

-15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 CA$175

$118 CA$166

5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 CA$2,105

$1,207 CA$1,699

23.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 CA$2,104

$965 CA$1,358

54.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 CA$2,933

$2,031 CA$2,858

2.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 CA$2,744

$1,577 CA$2,219

23.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,752 CA$6,686

$5,085 CA$7,155

-6.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,907 CA$6,904

$3,783 CA$5,324

29.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,178 CA$4,471

$2,890 CA$4,066

9.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.01

30.74%

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

Last update for Guelph: July 13, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,496 in Guelph and $1,207 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guelph pays 10% 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: $74.0 in Guelph vs $74.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $395 per month, with Guelph 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

Guelph vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Guelph, 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: $1,496 in Guelph versus $1,207 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Guelph pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $74.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,085 in Montreal versus $2,675 in Guelph, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Guelph. 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 Guelph, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Guelph 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 28% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.