Cost of Living Comparison Between Markham and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Markham and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,536 in Markham versus $2,056 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,613 in Markham versus $3,112 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,690 in Markham versus $4,167 in Montreal.

Living in Markham is roughly 23% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Markham 85% above, Montreal 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.36

$17.85 CA$24.70

2.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.4 CA$75.3

$72.3 CA$100

-24.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 CA$15.26

$10.92 CA$15.11

1.01%

Cappuccino

$3.78 CA$5.23

$3.97 CA$5.49

-4.79%

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

$1.75 CA$2.42

$2.07 CA$2.87

-15.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.55 CA$2.14

-8.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 CA$6.68

$6.41 CA$8.88

-24.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 CA$9.83

$7.29 CA$10.09

-2.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 CA$2.82

$2.39 CA$3.30

-14.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$3.21 CA$4.44

-30.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 CA$2.82

$3.07 CA$4.25

-33.55%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.41

$3.68 CA$5.09

-13.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.78

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 CA$17.29

$11.63 CA$16.09

7.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 CA$9.76

$13.97 CA$19.33

-49.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.56 CA$2.16

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 CA$3.22

$3.41 CA$4.72

-31.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.66

$3.03 CA$4.19

11.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 CA$2.86

$1.98 CA$2.74

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.65

$1.82 CA$2.52

4.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.56 CA$3.54

14.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.39 CA$1.92

11.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.59 CA$18.80

$11.49 CA$15.90

18.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 CA$21.00

$10.92 CA$15.11

38.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.40

$2.26 CA$3.13

8.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CA$4.35

$3.01 CA$4.16

4.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.16 CA$4.37

$2.69 CA$3.72

17.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 CA$130

$75.3 CA$104

24.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 CA$4.89

$3.35 CA$4.63

5.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.88 CA$26.12

$33.70 CA$46.63

-43.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.29 CA$1.79

-10.85%

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

$28.5K CA$39.5K

$28.3K CA$39.1K

0.95%

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

$18.5K CA$25.6K

$20.0K CA$27.6K

-7.28%

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

$127 CA$176

$80.4 CA$111

58.62%

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

$27.66 CA$38.28

$34.23 CA$47.37

-19.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.06 CA$65.1

$41.39 CA$57.3

13.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.71 CA$61.9

$29.24 CA$40.46

52.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.50 CA$29.75

$19.89 CA$27.52

8.09%

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 CA$13.99

$11.71 CA$16.20

-13.66%

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

$891 CA$1,233

$564 CA$781

57.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.1K CA$38.9K

$16.8K CA$23.3K

66.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.28 CA$59.9

$59.5 CA$82.3

-27.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.52 CA$51.9

$42.13 CA$58.3

-10.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 CA$131

$107 CA$148

-11.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.3 CA$135

$111 CA$153

-12.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 CA$2,269

$1,284 CA$1,776

27.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 CA$1,966

$990 CA$1,370

43.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CA$3,795

$2,260 CA$3,127

21.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,320 CA$3,210

$1,667 CA$2,307

39.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,989 CA$8,287

$5,287 CA$7,316

13.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,548 CA$7,677

$3,813 CA$5,276

45.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,172 CA$4,389

$3,019 CA$4,177

5.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.56

4.41

3.40%

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

Last update for Markham: August 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,640 in Markham and $1,284 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Markham pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Markham vs $72.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $356 per month, with Markham 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

Markham vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Markham. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montreal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Markham, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,640 in Markham versus $1,284 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $891 in Markham versus $564 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Markham pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,536 in Markham, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Markham. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Montreal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,056 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Montreal hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Markham 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 23% less than in Markham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.