Cost of Living Comparison Between Hay River, NT and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Hay River, NT and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,307 per month in Hay River, NT vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Hay River, NT vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,323 per month in Hay River, NT vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

Hay River, NT costs about 12% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Hay River, NT and Montreal sit above the global median – Hay River, NT by 68%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.25

$17.85 CA$24.70

2.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 CA$92.3

$72.3 CA$100

-7.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.17

$10.92 CA$15.11

0.46%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.11

$3.97 CA$5.49

-7.05%

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

$1.84 CA$2.55

$2.07 CA$2.87

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.40

$1.55 CA$2.14

12.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.19

$6.41 CA$8.88

-7.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 CA$6.92

$7.29 CA$10.09

-31.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CA$2.85

$2.39 CA$3.30

-13.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$3.21 CA$4.44

-18.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.15

$3.07 CA$4.25

-2.28%

Eggs

$3.92 CA$5.43

$3.68 CA$5.09

6.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 CA$15.96

$13.57 CA$18.78

-14.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$15.88

$11.63 CA$16.09

-1.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 CA$20.38

$13.97 CA$19.33

5.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.86

$3.68 CA$5.10

15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.56 CA$2.16

-19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.45

$3.41 CA$4.72

-5.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.32

$3.03 CA$4.19

26.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 CA$3.24

$1.98 CA$2.74

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$1.82 CA$2.52

37.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.56 CA$3.54

-7.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.39 CA$1.92

2.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.91 CA$17.87

$11.49 CA$15.90

12.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.51 CA$17.31

$10.92 CA$15.11

14.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CA$3.67

$2.26 CA$3.13

17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$3.01 CA$4.16

4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.69 CA$3.72

-17.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 CA$83.1

$75.3 CA$104

-20.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 CA$4.64

$3.35 CA$4.63

0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$1.50 CA$2.08

4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.40 CA$32.37

$33.70 CA$46.63

-30.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$1.29 CA$1.79

-11.63%

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

$27.7K CA$38.4K

$28.3K CA$39.1K

-1.94%

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

$20.4K CA$28.2K

$20.0K CA$27.6K

2.05%

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

$139 CA$193

$80.4 CA$111

73.57%

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

$38.54 CA$53.3

$34.23 CA$47.37

12.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 CA$78.6

$41.39 CA$57.3

37.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.92 CA$56.6

$29.24 CA$40.46

39.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.63 CA$23.01

$19.89 CA$27.52

-16.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 CA$17.88

$11.71 CA$16.20

10.33%

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

$818 CA$1,132

$564 CA$781

45.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K CA$16.9K

$16.8K CA$23.3K

-27.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CA$76.5

$59.5 CA$82.3

-7.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.25 CA$50.2

$42.13 CA$58.3

-13.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$119

$107 CA$148

-19.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 CA$137

$111 CA$153

-10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 CA$1,566

$1,284 CA$1,776

-11.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$982 CA$1,359

$990 CA$1,370

-0.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 CA$2,801

$2,260 CA$3,127

-10.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 CA$2,405

$1,667 CA$2,307

4.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,703 CA$6,508

$5,287 CA$7,316

-11.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,866 CA$5,349

$3,813 CA$5,276

1.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 CA$5,906

$3,019 CA$4,177

41.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.41

6.12%

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

Last update for Hay River, NT: August 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,132 in Hay River, NT versus $1,284 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 41% higher in Hay River, NT, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Hay River, NT versus $72.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $356 – making Hay River, NT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Hay River, NT vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hay River, NT costs about 12% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,460 per month in Hay River, NT and $3,084 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,307 in Hay River, NT and $2,056 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,056, than in Hay River, NT at $2,307. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hay River, NT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,056 versus $2,307 in Hay River, NT. 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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hay River, NT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.