Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,471 in London versus $2,088 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in London versus $3,123 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,506 in London versus $4,157 in Montreal.

Living in London is roughly 18% more expensive than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 85% above, Montreal 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 CA$25.46

$15.89 CA$21.77

16.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$99.9

$74.7 CA$102

-2.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 CA$14.07

$10.83 CA$14.83

-5.17%

Cappuccino

$3.58 CA$4.91

$3.80 CA$5.21

-5.79%

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

$1.90 CA$2.60

$2.10 CA$2.88

-9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.55

$1.51 CA$2.08

23.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.13

$6.09 CA$8.34

-2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 CA$9.30

$6.48 CA$8.88

4.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$2.32 CA$3.18

-27.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 CA$3.28

$3.26 CA$4.47

-26.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.61

$3.79 CA$5.19

-11.08%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.63

$3.46 CA$4.73

-2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 CA$13.44

$16.07 CA$22.02

-38.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.18 CA$16.69

$11.78 CA$16.14

3.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.03 CA$12.38

$15.13 CA$20.73

-40.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 CA$6.14

$3.74 CA$5.12

19.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.87

$1.71 CA$2.34

-19.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 CA$4.94

$3.92 CA$5.37

-7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.29

$4.28 CA$5.87

-9.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$2.74 CA$3.75

-38.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CA$2.81

$2.64 CA$3.62

-22.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 CA$2.89

$2.28 CA$3.13

-7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$1.96

$1.71 CA$2.34

-16.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.47 CA$17.08

$13.39 CA$18.35

-6.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.28 CA$18.20

$10.95 CA$15.00

21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CA$2.95

$3.00 CA$4.11

-28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.53

$3.60 CA$4.94

-28.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.82 CA$3.86

-17.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.9 CA$112

$75.1 CA$103

9.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 CA$5.61

$3.52 CA$4.82

16.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 CA$2.40

$1.46 CA$2.00

19.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.05 CA$42.54

$34.29 CA$46.97

-9.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.53

$1.19 CA$1.63

-6.72%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$25.1K CA$34.3K

0.92%

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

$20.4K CA$27.9K

$21.9K CA$30.0K

-6.91%

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

$143 CA$196

$74.7 CA$102

91.62%

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

$46.69 CA$64.0

$35.83 CA$49.09

30.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CA$80.0

$43.53 CA$59.6

34.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.26 CA$57.9

$43.06 CA$59.0

-1.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.32 CA$10.03

$16.90 CA$23.15

-56.69%

Cinema Ticket

$11.02 CA$15.10

$11.10 CA$15.21

-0.72%

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

$554 CA$759

$609 CA$834

-9.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K CA$19.5K

$5,925 CA$8,117

140.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CA$75.7

$62.8 CA$86.0

-11.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.60 CA$63.8

$44.85 CA$61.5

3.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 CA$117

$101 CA$138

-15.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 CA$111

$118 CA$162

-31.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 CA$1,997

$1,221 CA$1,673

19.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 CA$1,792

$955 CA$1,308

37.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,574 CA$3,526

$2,105 CA$2,883

22.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 CA$2,739

$1,600 CA$2,192

24.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,587 CA$4,915

$5,308 CA$7,272

-32.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,702 CA$5,071

$4,045 CA$5,542

-8.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,024 CA$4,142

$3,031 CA$4,152

-0.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.01

23.95%

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

Last update for London: April 28, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,457 in London and $1,221 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in London vs $75.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $391 per month, with London cheaper across the board.

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

London vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Montreal earns 0% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,457 in London versus $1,221 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,471 per month in London versus $2,088 in Montreal – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 9% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,088 in Montreal versus $2,471 in London, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montreal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, London and Montreal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.