Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lille and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Lille: $1,944 a month against $2,059 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Montreal outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lille
🇫🇷 France
$1,944
/mo nomad
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,059
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lille and in Montreal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lille and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,944 per month in Lille vs $2,059 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Lille $1,944
  • Montreal $2,059

A couple spends around $2,941 per month in Lille vs $3,123 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Lille $2,941
  • Montreal $3,123

A family of three spends $3,939 per month in Lille vs $4,187 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Lille $3,939
  • Montreal $4,187

Lille is about 6% cheaper than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Lille and Montreal sit above the global median – Lille by 43%, Montreal by 52%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lille
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.98 €15.99
$18.84 CA$26.63
-4.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.5 €65.4
$73.2 CA$104
0.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.38 €11.90
$10.54 CA$14.90
26.94%
Cappuccino
$3.75 €3.34
$3.97 CA$5.61
-5.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 €2.80
$1.94 CA$2.74
62.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 €1.52
$1.57 CA$2.22
8.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.01 €7.13
$6.42 CA$9.08
24.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.47 €4.87
$7.20 CA$10.19
-24.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lille
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.17
$2.32 CA$3.28
-43.53%
White Bread (500g)
$1.96 €1.75
$3.19 CA$4.51
-38.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.92 €2.60
$3.19 CA$4.50
-8.46%
Eggs
$4.23 €3.77
$3.68 CA$5.20
14.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.25 €18.90
$13.24 CA$18.72
60.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.62 €11.23
$11.69 CA$16.53
7.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.62 €21.01
$13.98 CA$19.76
68.96%
Apples (1kg)
$3.48 €3.10
$3.14 CA$4.44
10.83%
Banana (1kg)
$2.22 €1.97
$1.45 CA$2.05
53.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.28 €2.03
$3.38 CA$4.78
-32.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.04 €2.70
$3.11 CA$4.40
-2.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.93 CA$2.72
-0.52%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.83 CA$2.58
10.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.76 €1.56
$2.36 CA$3.34
-25.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 €0.60
$1.50 CA$2.12
-55.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.78 €12.26
$11.12 CA$15.73
23.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.66 €7.70
$10.60 CA$14.98
-18.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 €2.22
$2.22 CA$3.14
12.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.10 €3.65
$2.84 CA$4.01
44.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Lille
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.21 €1.96
$2.62 CA$3.71
-15.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$68.3 €60.7
$79.1 CA$112
-13.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.22 €1.97
$3.23 CA$4.56
-31.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.18 €1.94
$1.48 CA$2.10
47.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.40 €21.71
$32.22 CA$45.55
-24.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.24 €1.99
$1.36 CA$1.92
64.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1K €31.3K
$27.6K CA$39.1K
27.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.0K €33.8K
$21.2K CA$30.0K
79.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lille
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$207 €184
$77.0 CA$109
168.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.45 €13.74
$34.14 CA$48.26
-54.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.40 €27.93
$42.19 CA$59.7
-25.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lille
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.68 €29.07
$30.81 CA$43.56
6.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.93 €8.84
$19.66 CA$27.79
-49.49%
Cinema Ticket
$14.82 €13.18
$11.47 CA$16.22
29.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lille
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$631 €561
$506 CA$716
24.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,272 €7,358
$16.2K CA$23.0K
-49.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lille
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 €78.1
$57.3 CA$81.0
53.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13 €35.69
$38.10 CA$53.9
5.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €90.9
$91.9 CA$130
11.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 €90.7
$110 CA$155
-7.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lille
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$906 €806
$1,237 CA$1,748
-26.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$711 €633
$977 CA$1,381
-27.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,541 €1,371
$2,180 CA$3,082
-29.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,166 €1,037
$1,608 CA$2,273
-27.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,490 €3,994
$5,113 CA$7,228
-12.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,041 €2,705
$3,744 CA$5,293
-18.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lille
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,904 €2,583
$2,957 CA$4,180
-1.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.92
4.48
-12.50%

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

Last update for Lille: October 17, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lille
$711
Montreal
$977 37.3% $265
Groceries & Markets
Lille
$377
Montreal
$351 6.9% $26
Eating Out
Lille
$300
Montreal
$290 3% $9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lille
$254
Montreal
$153 39.6% $100
Clothing & Footwear
Lille
$149
Montreal
$134 10.5% $16
Getting Around
Lille
$90
Montreal
$100 11.2% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Lille
$62
Montreal
$54 13.7% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $906 in Lille versus $1,237 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 Montreal, 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 $74.0 in Lille versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 vs $351 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Lille
🇨🇦 Montreal
🕒 Local time
16:53 4:53 PM
10:53 10:53 AM
6 h behind Lille
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
236,710
1,762,949
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lille Montreal 5,460 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lille
  • Montreal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Lille and in Montreal compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,944 in Lille, $2,059 in Montreal – roughly 6% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.
What salary covers living expenses in Lille compared to Montreal?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,915 per month in Lille and $3,089 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Lille and Montreal?
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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lille or Montreal?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,944 in Lille and $2,059 in Montreal. That's a gap of about 6%.
How do commuting costs compare in Lille and in Montreal?
Public transport costs about 16% less in Lille. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lille, where all-in costs run around $1,944, than in Montreal at $2,059. In Lille it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Lille and Montreal?
It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,944 in Lille to $2,059 in Montreal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Lille or Montreal safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Lille and Montreal?
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.

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