Cost of Living Comparison Between Lille and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Lille and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,920 per month in Lille vs $2,080 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,927 per month in Lille vs $3,136 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,933 per month in Lille vs $4,193 in Montreal, rent included.

Lille is about 8% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lille and Montreal sit above the global median – Lille by 43%, Montreal by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.02

$16.16 CA$22.14

8.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €59.3

$74.3 CA$102

-6.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.69 €11.68

$10.94 CA$14.98

25.14%

Cappuccino

$3.67 €3.13

$3.68 CA$5.05

-0.27%

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

$3.36 €2.86

$2.07 CA$2.84

62.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.49 CA$2.05

38.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 €6.85

$5.98 CA$8.20

34.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €4.97

$6.76 CA$9.27

-13.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.31

$2.32 CA$3.18

-33.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.47

$3.21 CA$4.40

-46.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 €2.54

$3.74 CA$5.13

-20.32%

Eggs

$3.92 €3.34

$3.27 CA$4.48

19.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.25 €18.98

$16.08 CA$22.02

38.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.03 €11.12

$11.56 CA$15.84

12.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.34 €20.76

$15.66 CA$21.45

55.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 €3.19

$3.67 CA$5.03

1.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 €1.88

$1.70 CA$2.33

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 €2.08

$4.06 CA$5.56

-40.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 €2.72

$4.25 CA$5.82

-24.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.62

$2.74 CA$3.76

-30.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.82

$2.66 CA$3.65

-19.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.34

$2.16 CA$2.96

-27.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 €0.55

$1.72 CA$2.35

-62.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.79 €11.76

$13.21 CA$18.10

4.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.77 €7.48

$11.08 CA$15.19

-20.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.05

$2.97 CA$4.07

-19.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 €3.68

$3.58 CA$4.91

20.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.94

$2.84 CA$3.89

-19.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.9 €59.6

$74.8 CA$103

-6.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 €4.02

$3.62 CA$4.96

30.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 €1.61

$1.44 CA$1.98

31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.94 €28.10

$34.03 CA$46.62

-3.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.75

$1.18 CA$1.61

74.58%

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

$37.2K €31.8K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

48.17%

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

$37.4K €31.9K

$21.5K CA$29.4K

74.38%

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

$196 €168

$75.5 CA$103

160.04%

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

$23.18 €19.77

$35.70 CA$48.91

-35.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.90 €25.51

$43.01 CA$58.9

-30.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.07 €33.32

$42.58 CA$58.3

-8.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.81 €15.20

$17.17 CA$23.53

3.73%

Cinema Ticket

$14.54 €12.40

$11.07 CA$15.16

31.35%

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

$571 €487

$616 CA$844

-7.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,591 €7,328

$5,799 CA$7,945

48.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 €77.0

$62.3 CA$85.3

45.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 €31.46

$43.77 CA$60.0

-15.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 €72.3

$102 CA$140

-17.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 €88.1

$121 CA$166

-14.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 €720

$1,209 CA$1,657

-30.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 €596

$970 CA$1,329

-27.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 €1,365

$2,085 CA$2,856

-23.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 €1,043

$1,596 CA$2,186

-23.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,550 €3,881

$5,442 CA$7,456

-16.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,206 €2,734

$4,046 CA$5,543

-20.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,138 €2,677

$2,990 CA$4,096

4.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.69

5.01

-26.35%

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

Last update for Lille: April 21, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Lille versus $1,209 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 5% higher in Lille, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Lille versus $74 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $389 – making Lille 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

Lille vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,920 in Lille, $2,080 in Montreal – roughly 8% apart. Montreal costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,881 per month in Lille and $3,120 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lille, 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 $1,920 in Lille and $2,080 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Lille. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lille, where all-in costs run around $1,920, than in Montreal at $2,080. In Lille it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal 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 $1,920 in Lille to $2,080 in Montreal. 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 Lille. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.