Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,064 a month against $2,236 in Marathon, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Marathon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Marathon, Canada
Montreal, Canada
Marathon
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,236
/mo nomad
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,064
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Marathon 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 Marathon and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,236 per month in Marathon vs $2,064 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Marathon $2,236
  • Montreal $2,064

A couple spends around $3,207 per month in Marathon vs $3,156 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Marathon $3,207
  • Montreal $3,156

A family of three spends $4,177 per month in Marathon vs $4,247 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Marathon $4,177
  • Montreal $4,247

Marathon costs about 8% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Marathon and Montreal sit above the global median – Marathon by 64%, Montreal by 52%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Marathon
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.27 CA$22.83
$18.98 CA$26.64
-14.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 CA$85.6
$73.0 CA$102
-16.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.18 CA$12.88
$10.88 CA$15.27
-15.63%
Cappuccino
$3.81 CA$5.34
$3.81 CA$5.35
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 CA$2.49
$1.94 CA$2.72
-8.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 CA$2.10
$1.58 CA$2.22
-5.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.49 CA$7.71
$6.37 CA$8.94
-13.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.21 CA$8.71
$7.26 CA$10.20
-14.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Marathon
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.09 CA$2.93
$2.23 CA$3.13
-6.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.61 CA$3.66
$3.17 CA$4.45
-17.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.51 CA$4.92
$3.31 CA$4.64
6.04%
Eggs
$3.44 CA$4.82
$3.63 CA$5.09
-5.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 CA$14.01
$13.16 CA$18.47
-24.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.65 CA$16.35
$11.56 CA$16.22
0.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.96 CA$20.99
$13.71 CA$19.25
9.12%
Apples (1kg)
$3.86 CA$5.41
$3.29 CA$4.62
17.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.36 CA$1.91
$1.46 CA$2.05
-6.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.75 CA$5.26
$3.37 CA$4.73
11.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.89 CA$5.46
$3.15 CA$4.42
23.49%
Potato (1kg)
$2.44 CA$3.43
$1.89 CA$2.65
29.10%
Onion (1kg)
$2.30 CA$3.23
$1.79 CA$2.52
28.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.42 CA$3.40
$2.47 CA$3.47
-2.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 CA$2.25
$1.58 CA$2.22
1.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.86 CA$19.45
$11.28 CA$15.84
22.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.59 CA$17.67
$10.49 CA$14.73
20.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.69 CA$3.77
$2.34 CA$3.28
14.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 CA$4.35
$2.91 CA$4.09
6.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Marathon
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.64 CA$3.71
$2.61 CA$3.66
1.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$58.7 CA$82.4
$79.1 CA$111
-25.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.87 CA$4.02
$3.26 CA$4.57
-11.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 CA$2.12
$1.44 CA$2.02
4.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.34 CA$36.97
$33.43 CA$46.92
-21.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 CA$1.46
$1.33 CA$1.87
-21.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K CA$38.6K
$28.6K CA$40.2K
-3.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.7K CA$26.3K
$21.1K CA$29.6K
-11.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Marathon
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$137 CA$192
$80.1 CA$112
70.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.33 CA$53.8
$34.30 CA$48.14
11.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.2 CA$76.1
$42.85 CA$60.1
26.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Marathon
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.55 CA$48.48
$31.14 CA$43.71
10.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.24 CA$28.40
$19.41 CA$27.24
4.28%
Cinema Ticket
$10.80 CA$15.16
$11.23 CA$15.76
-3.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Marathon
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$609 CA$855
$525 CA$737
16.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K CA$18.1K
$16.3K CA$22.9K
-21.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Marathon
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.1 CA$78.7
$58.0 CA$81.4
-3.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.45 CA$54.0
$38.11 CA$53.5
0.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 CA$119
$93.4 CA$131
-9.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 CA$146
$110 CA$155
-5.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Marathon
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,264 CA$1,773
$1,285 CA$1,803
-1.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,132 CA$1,588
$977 CA$1,371
15.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,017 CA$2,830
$2,271 CA$3,187
-11.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,694 CA$2,377
$1,665 CA$2,336
1.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,326 CA$6,071
$5,139 CA$7,212
-15.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,656 CA$5,131
$3,834 CA$5,381
-4.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Marathon
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,772 CA$2,486
$3,002 CA$4,213
-40.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.68
4.48
4.46%

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

Last update for Marathon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Marathon
$1.1K
Montreal
$977 13.7% $155
Groceries & Markets
Marathon
$355
Montreal
$351 1.2% $4.2
Eating Out
Marathon
$256
Montreal
$291 13.4% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Marathon
$229
Montreal
$157 31.4% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Marathon
$127
Montreal
$135 5.8% $7.4
Getting Around
Marathon
$80
Montreal
$100 25.4% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Marathon
$56
Montreal
$54 4.6% $2.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,264 in Marathon versus $1,285 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 69% 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 $61 in Marathon versus $73 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $355 in Marathon vs $351 in Montreal – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Marathon
🇨🇦 Montreal
🕒 Local time
13:42 1:42 PM
13:42 1:42 PM
Same time as Marathon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,300
1,762,949
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Marathon Montreal 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Marathon
  • 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
Marathon vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montreal cheaper than Marathon?
Yes – Marathon is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,354 per month in Marathon and $3,096 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Marathon and Montreal?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,264 in Marathon and $1,285 in Montreal. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Is eating out cheaper in Marathon or in Montreal?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Marathon and $73 in Montreal. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 26% less in Marathon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 enough to cover costs in Marathon or in Montreal?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,236 in Marathon and $2,064 in Montreal. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Marathon or in Montreal?
It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,064 in Montreal to $2,236 in Marathon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Marathon or Montreal?
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.

Marathon vs other spots: cost of living compared

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