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: $2,620 in Guelph versus $2,063 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,682 in Guelph versus $3,159 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,743 in Guelph versus $4,255 in Montreal.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Guelph 96% above, Montreal 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.31 CA$28.24

$15.92 CA$22.14

27.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 CA$104

$73.1 CA$102

2.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.60 CA$16.13

$11.15 CA$15.50

4.04%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.11

$3.80 CA$5.29

-3.42%

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

$1.84 CA$2.56

$2.18 CA$3.03

-15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.51

$1.46 CA$2.03

23.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 CA$7.13

$6.12 CA$8.51

-16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CA$8.42

$6.78 CA$9.42

-10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.86

$2.33 CA$3.24

-12.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.72

$3.39 CA$4.72

-21.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.69

$3.73 CA$5.19

-9.65%

Eggs

$3.18 CA$4.42

$3.38 CA$4.70

-5.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 CA$12.31

$16.25 CA$22.60

-45.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 CA$11.93

$11.54 CA$16.05

-25.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.47 CA$36.81

$15.24 CA$21.19

73.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.57

$3.74 CA$5.20

7.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 CA$1.20

$1.70 CA$2.37

-49.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.46

$4.11 CA$5.71

-21.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$4.35 CA$6.05

-48.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.08

$2.71 CA$3.76

8.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$2.62 CA$3.64

-3.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$2.25 CA$3.13

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.73 CA$2.40

-13.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 CA$15.55

$13.31 CA$18.51

-16.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 CA$15.71

$10.78 CA$15.00

4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$3.01 CA$4.19

-11.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$3.46 CA$4.82

-21.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.74 CA$3.81

-14.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$87.5

$72.7 CA$101

-13.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$3.63 CA$5.05

-36.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 CA$2.35

$1.46 CA$2.03

15.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.23 CA$46.21

$33.44 CA$46.50

-0.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.21 CA$1.69

-8.26%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

0.16%

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

$21.5K CA$29.9K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-1.00%

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

$130 CA$181

$76.0 CA$106

71.31%

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

$54.2 CA$75.4

$35.72 CA$49.68

51.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 CA$85.1

$42.86 CA$59.6

42.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$42.92 CA$59.7

27.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 CA$26.05

$17.23 CA$23.97

8.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 CA$15.45

$11.09 CA$15.42

0.18%

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

$938 CA$1,305

$620 CA$862

51.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.3K

$5,834 CA$8,114

88.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 CA$88.4

$62.7 CA$87.1

1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 CA$52.8

$44.41 CA$61.8

-14.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 CA$120

$101 CA$140

-14.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$179

$119 CA$166

8.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 CA$2,073

$1,211 CA$1,684

23.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 CA$2,075

$960 CA$1,334

55.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 CA$2,962

$2,035 CA$2,831

4.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 CA$2,802

$1,589 CA$2,210

26.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,927 CA$6,852

$5,181 CA$7,205

-4.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,903 CA$6,819

$3,934 CA$5,470

24.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,236 CA$4,500

$2,960 CA$4,116

9.31%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,491 in Guelph and $1,211 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: $75.0 in Guelph vs $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $392, with Guelph 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 Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Guelph pays 9% more on average, 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: $1,491 in Guelph versus $1,211 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Guelph pay roughly 10% 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 $73.0 versus $75.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,620 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.