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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Kingston vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,286 per month in Kingston vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,226 per month in Kingston vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Kingston costs about 14% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kingston and Montreal sit above the global median – Kingston by 75%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 CA$23.33

$15.92 CA$22.14

5.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 CA$104

$73.1 CA$102

2.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.29 CA$15.70

$11.15 CA$15.50

1.26%

Cappuccino

$3.55 CA$4.94

$3.80 CA$5.29

-6.58%

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

$1.88 CA$2.62

$2.18 CA$3.03

-13.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.46 CA$2.03

-2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 CA$8.04

$6.12 CA$8.51

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 CA$9.20

$6.78 CA$9.42

-2.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.33 CA$3.24

10.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.55

$3.39 CA$4.72

-24.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.64

$3.73 CA$5.19

8.85%

Eggs

$2.92 CA$4.06

$3.38 CA$4.70

-13.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 CA$14.67

$16.25 CA$22.60

-35.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 CA$15.71

$11.54 CA$16.05

-2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 CA$16.44

$15.24 CA$21.19

-22.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.06

$3.74 CA$5.20

-2.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.70 CA$2.37

-22.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$4.11 CA$5.71

-2.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.62

$4.35 CA$6.05

9.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.97

$2.71 CA$3.76

31.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.20

$2.62 CA$3.64

-12.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 CA$4.16

$2.25 CA$3.13

32.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.34

$1.73 CA$2.40

-2.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.60 CA$18.91

$13.31 CA$18.51

2.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 CA$17.39

$10.78 CA$15.00

15.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.16

$3.01 CA$4.19

-24.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.80

$3.46 CA$4.82

-0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$2.74 CA$3.81

-3.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 CA$83.5

$72.7 CA$101

-17.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.49

$3.63 CA$5.05

-11.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.46 CA$2.03

4.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.53 CA$46.63

$33.44 CA$46.50

0.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.21 CA$1.69

-9.09%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

1.80%

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

$21.0K CA$29.3K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-2.97%

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

$134 CA$186

$76.0 CA$106

75.80%

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

$43.78 CA$60.9

$35.72 CA$49.68

22.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.5 CA$109

$42.86 CA$59.6

83.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.93 CA$44.41

$42.92 CA$59.7

-25.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 CA$12.95

$17.23 CA$23.97

-45.97%

Cinema Ticket

$11.16 CA$15.51

$11.09 CA$15.42

0.63%

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

$434 CA$604

$620 CA$862

-29.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.2K

$5,834 CA$8,114

100.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.04 CA$64.0

$62.7 CA$87.1

-26.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.14 CA$48.86

$44.41 CA$61.8

-20.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 CA$133

$101 CA$140

-5.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 CA$131

$119 CA$166

-20.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 CA$1,778

$1,211 CA$1,684

5.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 CA$1,594

$960 CA$1,334

19.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 CA$2,870

$2,035 CA$2,831

1.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,643 CA$2,285

$1,589 CA$2,210

3.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,486 CA$4,848

$5,181 CA$7,205

-32.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,498 CA$3,474

$3,934 CA$5,470

-36.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,996 CA$4,167

$2,960 CA$4,116

1.23%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Kingston versus $1,211 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 1% 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 $75.0 in Kingston versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $359 in Kingston vs $392 in Montreal – so Kingston wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $2,347 in Kingston, $2,063 in Montreal – roughly 14% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,521 per month in Kingston and $3,094 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 $2,347 in Kingston and $2,063 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% 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 $2,063, than in Kingston at $2,347. 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 $2,063 in Montreal to $2,347 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.