Cost of Living Comparison Between Independence, MO and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Independence, MO and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,138 in Independence, MO versus $2,063 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,126 in Independence, MO versus $3,159 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,115 in Independence, MO versus $4,255 in Montreal.

Living in Independence, MO is roughly 4% more expensive than Montreal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Independence, MO 60% above, Montreal 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 $20.15

$15.92 CA$22.05

26.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 $75.1

$73.1 CA$101

2.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 $11.67

$11.15 CA$15.43

4.66%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$3.80 CA$5.26

33.95%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$2.18 CA$3.01

35.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.46 CA$2.02

32.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$6.12 CA$8.48

0.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$6.78 CA$9.38

3.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$2.33 CA$3.22

-50.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.39 CA$4.69

1.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$3.73 CA$5.16

20.38%

Eggs

$3.54 $3.54

$3.38 CA$4.68

4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$16.25 CA$22.50

-27.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 $10.50

$11.54 CA$15.98

-9.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.85 $12.85

$15.24 CA$21.10

-15.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$3.74 CA$5.18

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.70 CA$2.36

-11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$4.11 CA$5.68

42.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.35 CA$6.02

48.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.71 CA$3.75

-4.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.62 CA$3.62

38.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.25 CA$3.12

-12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.73 CA$2.39

49.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.64 $8.64

$13.31 CA$18.43

-35.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$10.78 CA$14.93

41.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.01 CA$4.17

-42.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.46 CA$4.80

29.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.74 CA$3.79

-28.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.63 CA$5.03

-18.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.46 CA$2.02

4.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.80 $20.80

$33.44 CA$46.30

-37.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.21 CA$1.68

-33.06%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

42.25%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

23.35%

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

$252 $252

$76.0 CA$105

231.12%

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

$53.1 $53.1

$35.72 CA$49.46

48.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$42.86 CA$59.4

58.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.69 $42.69

$42.92 CA$59.4

-0.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 $13.95

$11.09 CA$15.35

25.79%

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

$925 $925

$620 CA$858

49.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$5,834 CA$8,078

316.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$62.7 CA$86.8

-14.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.65 $38.65

$44.41 CA$61.5

-12.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 $95.5

$101 CA$139

-5.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$119 CA$165

-6.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 $1,001

$1,211 CA$1,677

-17.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$834 $834

$960 CA$1,329

-13.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,314 $2,314

$2,035 CA$2,818

13.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 $1,302

$1,589 CA$2,201

-18.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 $1,513

$5,181 CA$7,173

-70.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,446

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,487 $3,487

$2,960 CA$4,098

17.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.01

29.74%

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

Last update for Independence, MO: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,001 in Independence, MO and $1,211 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Independence, MO pays 18% 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 Independence, MO vs $73.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $392 per month, with Montreal 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

Independence, MO vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Independence, MO and Montreal differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,138 vs $2,063 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Independence, MO pays 18% 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: $1,001 in Independence, MO versus $1,211 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Independence, MO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,138 per month in Independence, MO versus $2,063 in Montreal – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,138 in Independence, MO, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Independence, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Independence, MO 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 4% less than in Independence, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.