Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,337 per month in Kingston vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,282 per month in Kingston vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,227 per month in Kingston vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

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

Both Kingston and Montreal sit above the global median – Kingston by 75%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.88 CA$23.76

$16.52 CA$23.24

2.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$103

$74.0 CA$104

-1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.55 CA$16.25

$10.94 CA$15.40

5.58%

Cappuccino

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.84 CA$5.41

-8.33%

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

$1.90 CA$2.67

$2.14 CA$3.01

-11.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$1.45 CA$2.04

-5.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.13

$6.13 CA$8.63

-5.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.60 CA$9.28

$6.73 CA$9.47

-1.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 CA$3.58

$2.35 CA$3.31

8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$3.34 CA$4.69

-27.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.60

$3.74 CA$5.27

6.42%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.14

$3.39 CA$4.77

-13.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 CA$15.23

$16.30 CA$22.93

-33.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.15

$11.81 CA$16.62

-2.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 CA$16.53

$15.64 CA$22.01

-24.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.17

$3.69 CA$5.20

-0.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.85

$1.70 CA$2.39

-22.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.87

$4.11 CA$5.79

1.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 CA$6.59

$4.41 CA$6.20

6.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.82

$2.79 CA$3.93

22.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$2.64 CA$3.72

-12.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 CA$4.36

$2.29 CA$3.22

35.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.78 CA$2.51

-5.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.62 CA$19.17

$13.17 CA$18.53

3.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.09 CA$17.01

$10.64 CA$14.97

13.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.29

$2.99 CA$4.20

-21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$3.44 CA$4.83

-2.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.56

$2.81 CA$3.95

-9.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.7 CA$84.1

$72.8 CA$102

-17.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CA$4.52

$3.52 CA$4.95

-8.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 CA$2.12

$1.45 CA$2.05

4.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.15 CA$46.65

$34.29 CA$48.26

-3.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.52

$1.22 CA$1.72

-11.48%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-0.37%

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

$21.4K CA$30.1K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-3.41%

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

$131 CA$185

$76.5 CA$108

71.58%

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

$44.09 CA$62.0

$35.60 CA$50.1

23.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 CA$110

$42.96 CA$60.5

81.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.46 CA$45.68

$43.39 CA$61.1

-25.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.30 CA$13.08

$16.83 CA$23.68

-44.74%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 CA$15.38

$11.09 CA$15.60

-1.44%

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

$445 CA$626

$625 CA$879

-28.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.3K

$5,896 CA$8,296

96.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.61 CA$65.6

$63.1 CA$88.8

-26.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.56 CA$50.0

$44.50 CA$62.6

-20.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$133

$103 CA$145

-8.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 CA$132

$118 CA$166

-20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 CA$1,844

$1,207 CA$1,699

8.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 CA$1,664

$965 CA$1,358

22.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 CA$2,935

$2,031 CA$2,858

2.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 CA$2,350

$1,577 CA$2,219

5.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,419 CA$4,811

$5,085 CA$7,155

-32.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,453 CA$3,452

$3,783 CA$5,324

-35.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,010 CA$4,235

$2,890 CA$4,066

4.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

5.01

33.53%

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

Last update for Kingston: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,310 in Kingston versus $1,207 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 4% higher in Kingston, 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 $73.0 in Kingston versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $395 – making Kingston 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

Kingston vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,337 in Kingston, $2,085 in Montreal – roughly 12% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,505 per month in Kingston and $3,127 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 $2,337 in Kingston and $2,085 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 22% 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 $2,085, than in Kingston at $2,337. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,085 in Montreal to $2,337 in Kingston. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.