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: $2,679 in Guelph versus $2,108 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,848 in Guelph versus $3,226 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,018 in Guelph versus $4,344 in Montreal.

Living in Guelph is roughly 27% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Guelph 94% above, Montreal 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.10 CA$30.65

$17.83 CA$24.72

23.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$98.5

$73.6 CA$102

-3.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 CA$15.94

$10.81 CA$15.00

6.29%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.94

$3.92 CA$5.44

-9.18%

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

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.04 CA$2.84

-28.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$1.52 CA$2.11

-9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 CA$7.08

$6.59 CA$9.13

-22.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.18

$7.14 CA$9.90

-17.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.37 CA$3.28

-4.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$3.95

$3.23 CA$4.48

-11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.16

$2.95 CA$4.10

26.10%

Eggs

$2.96 CA$4.11

$3.69 CA$5.12

-19.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 CA$13.25

$13.65 CA$18.93

-29.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 CA$22.05

$11.94 CA$16.56

33.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.68 CA$46.71

$14.07 CA$19.52

139.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.17

$3.61 CA$5.01

3.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.85

$1.55 CA$2.15

-14.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 CA$6.65

$3.29 CA$4.56

45.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.73

$3.07 CA$4.26

34.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.85

$2.00 CA$2.78

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$1.90 CA$2.64

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 CA$4.03

$2.64 CA$3.66

9.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.39 CA$1.93

-7.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 CA$15.36

$11.80 CA$16.36

-6.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 CA$15.63

$10.80 CA$14.98

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 CA$4.72

$2.37 CA$3.29

43.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CA$4.35

$2.90 CA$4.02

8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 CA$3.10

$2.74 CA$3.79

-18.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.5 CA$95.0

$77.1 CA$107

-11.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$3.31 CA$4.59

-25.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 CA$2.63

$1.46 CA$2.02

30.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 CA$33.83

$32.98 CA$45.74

-26.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.31 CA$1.82

-15.27%

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

$28.5K CA$39.6K

$28.7K CA$39.8K

-0.70%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

2.27%

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

$127 CA$176

$79.9 CA$111

59.30%

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

$44.27 CA$61.4

$34.79 CA$48.25

27.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 CA$78.9

$42.55 CA$59.0

33.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 CA$80.2

$29.20 CA$40.49

97.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 CA$19.73

$20.33 CA$28.20

-30.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.70 CA$14.84

$11.48 CA$15.92

-6.79%

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

$834 CA$1,157

$565 CA$784

47.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K CA$23.6K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

2.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 CA$89.6

$60.2 CA$83.5

7.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.48 CA$52.0

$41.87 CA$58.1

-10.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$104 CA$144

-15.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 CA$173

$113 CA$156

10.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 CA$2,116

$1,294 CA$1,795

17.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,914

$1,014 CA$1,406

36.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 CA$2,903

$2,271 CA$3,149

-7.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,807

$1,683 CA$2,334

20.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,889 CA$6,780

$5,156 CA$7,150

-5.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,961 CA$6,880

$3,842 CA$5,328

29.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,305 CA$4,583

$3,032 CA$4,205

8.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

4.44

12.39%

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

Last update for Guelph: September 8, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Guelph and $1,294 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guelph pays 9% 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: $71.0 in Guelph vs $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $442 vs $358, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% 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: $1,526 in Guelph versus $1,294 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Guelph. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $71.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,108 in Montreal versus $2,679 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 27% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.