Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,413 per month in Marathon vs $2,073 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,456 per month in Marathon vs $3,175 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,498 per month in Marathon vs $4,277 in Montreal, rent included.

Marathon costs about 16% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Marathon and Montreal sit above the global median – Marathon by 81%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.24 CA$25.60

$16.22 CA$22.77

12.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 CA$83.4

$74.3 CA$104

-20.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 CA$17.63

$11.14 CA$15.64

12.75%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.16

$3.83 CA$5.37

-3.92%

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

$1.89 CA$2.65

$2.13 CA$3.00

-11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 CA$2.07

$1.45 CA$2.03

1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.28 CA$7.41

$6.11 CA$8.58

-13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 CA$7.07

$6.46 CA$9.07

-21.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.24 CA$3.14

8.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$3.22 CA$4.52

-20.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$3.65 CA$5.13

-29.59%

Eggs

$2.95 CA$4.14

$3.36 CA$4.72

-12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.79 CA$12.34

$15.97 CA$22.41

-44.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.85 CA$23.65

$11.84 CA$16.62

42.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.23 CA$22.78

$15.18 CA$21.31

6.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.95

$3.74 CA$5.25

-5.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.70 CA$2.38

-35.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.65

$3.98 CA$5.58

-16.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.68

$4.45 CA$6.25

-25.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.74

$2.66 CA$3.73

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 CA$1.37

$2.57 CA$3.61

-61.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$2.22 CA$3.12

31.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CA$1.59

$1.71 CA$2.40

-33.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 CA$12.64

$13.02 CA$18.27

-30.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 CA$17.26

$10.74 CA$15.08

14.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$3.07 CA$4.30

-46.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.88

$3.55 CA$4.98

-21.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.28

$2.69 CA$3.77

-13.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 CA$89.2

$74.0 CA$104

-14.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.57

$3.64 CA$5.11

-10.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$1.44 CA$2.02

4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.71 CA$36.09

$34.18 CA$47.98

-24.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.17 CA$1.64

-5.13%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

1.29%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$22.0K CA$30.9K

-7.66%

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

$199 CA$280

$75.2 CA$106

165.15%

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

$44.64 CA$62.7

$36.93 CA$51.8

20.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.8 CA$113

$44.25 CA$62.1

82.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 CA$59.2

$42.03 CA$59.0

0.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.79 CA$23.56

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 CA$14.70

$10.87 CA$15.26

-3.68%

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

$737 CA$1,034

$624 CA$876

18.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.6K

$5,856 CA$8,220

101.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$83.7

$61.7 CA$86.6

-3.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.13 CA$50.7

$44.74 CA$62.8

-19.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 CA$105

$102 CA$143

-26.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 CA$197

$121 CA$169

16.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 CA$1,844

$1,220 CA$1,712

7.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 CA$1,649

$956 CA$1,341

22.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,016 CA$2,830

$2,044 CA$2,869

-1.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 CA$2,589

$1,584 CA$2,223

16.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,228 CA$5,934

$5,158 CA$7,239

-18.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,583 CA$5,029

$3,803 CA$5,338

-5.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,791 CA$2,514

$2,899 CA$4,069

-38.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

5.01

23.55%

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

Last update for Marathon: July 25, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,314 in Marathon versus $1,220 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 62% higher in Montreal, 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 $59.0 in Marathon versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $389 – making Marathon 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

Marathon vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marathon is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,620 per month in Marathon and $3,110 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.

Kindergarten costs $737 per month in Marathon and $624 in Montreal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Marathon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,073, than in Marathon at $2,413. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marathon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montreal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Marathon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.