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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,286 per month in Kingston vs $2,065 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,230 per month in Kingston vs $3,180 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,173 per month in Kingston vs $4,296 in Montreal, rent included.

Kingston costs about 11% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kingston and Montreal sit above the global median – Kingston by 70%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.72 CA$22.91

$16.08 CA$22.03

3.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$102

$73.8 CA$101

0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.28 CA$15.46

$10.91 CA$14.95

3.39%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.06

$3.67 CA$5.03

0.54%

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

$1.90 CA$2.60

$2.06 CA$2.83

-7.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 CA$8.28

$6.21 CA$8.50

-2.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.83

$6.44 CA$8.82

0.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 CA$3.53

$2.34 CA$3.21

10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 CA$3.47

$3.23 CA$4.42

-21.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.71

$3.84 CA$5.26

8.59%

Eggs

$2.91 CA$3.99

$3.32 CA$4.54

-12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 CA$14.63

$16.35 CA$22.40

-34.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.64

$11.92 CA$16.33

-4.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 CA$15.63

$15.10 CA$20.69

-24.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.87

$3.68 CA$5.04

-3.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.80

$1.69 CA$2.32

-21.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$4.12 CA$5.64

-2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CA$6.66

$4.29 CA$5.88

13.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.85

$2.79 CA$3.82

26.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.30

$2.70 CA$3.70

-10.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.17 CA$2.97

36.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.22

$1.78 CA$2.44

-8.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 CA$19.00

$13.22 CA$18.12

4.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 CA$17.06

$11.04 CA$15.12

12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CA$3.13

$2.97 CA$4.07

-22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.53

$3.44 CA$4.71

-4.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.46

$2.80 CA$3.84

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.0 CA$79.5

$72.2 CA$98.9

-19.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CA$4.48

$3.67 CA$5.03

-10.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.16

$1.40 CA$1.92

12.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.56 CA$44.60

$34.07 CA$46.68

-4.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.49

$1.21 CA$1.66

-10.74%

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

$24.6K CA$33.7K

$25.3K CA$34.7K

-2.80%

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

$21.4K CA$29.3K

$21.9K CA$30.0K

-2.33%

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

$130 CA$178

$74.4 CA$102

74.57%

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

$44.36 CA$60.8

$36.64 CA$50.2

21.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 CA$108

$43.41 CA$59.5

81.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.36 CA$44.33

$43.20 CA$59.2

-25.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.29 CA$12.73

$17.18 CA$23.54

-45.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.32

$10.99 CA$15.06

1.73%

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

$446 CA$611

$614 CA$842

-27.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.0K

$5,855 CA$8,022

99.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.10 CA$63.2

$62.6 CA$85.8

-26.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 CA$49.25

$44.25 CA$60.6

-18.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 CA$130

$103 CA$142

-7.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.3 CA$126

$122 CA$167

-24.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,766

$1,190 CA$1,631

8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 CA$1,630

$946 CA$1,296

25.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 CA$2,918

$2,037 CA$2,791

4.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 CA$2,301

$1,548 CA$2,120

8.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,450 CA$4,726

$5,398 CA$7,395

-36.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,513 CA$3,443

$4,014 CA$5,499

-37.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,086 CA$4,228

$3,013 CA$4,128

2.41%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Kingston versus $1,190 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 2% 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 $74 in Kingston versus $74 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $392 – 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: $2,286 in Kingston, $2,065 in Montreal – roughly 11% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,429 per month in Kingston and $3,097 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 $2,286 in Kingston and $2,065 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% 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 $2,065, than in Kingston at $2,286. 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 $2,065 in Montreal to $2,286 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.