Cost of Living Comparison Between Milton and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Milton and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,143 in Milton versus $2,085 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,242 in Milton versus $3,174 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,341 in Milton versus $4,262 in Montreal.

Living in Milton is roughly 51% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milton 135% above, Montreal 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.75 CA$20.68

$16.52 CA$23.16

-10.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.0 CA$105

$74.0 CA$104

1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.00 CA$18.23

$10.94 CA$15.34

18.83%

Cappuccino

$3.78 CA$5.31

$3.84 CA$5.39

-1.56%

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

$3.15 CA$4.41

$2.14 CA$2.99

47.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 CA$3.42

$1.45 CA$2.03

68.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 CA$11.29

$6.13 CA$8.60

31.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 CA$7.86

$6.73 CA$9.44

-16.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 CA$3.34

$2.35 CA$3.30

1.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$3.34 CA$4.68

-21.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.23

$3.74 CA$5.25

18.72%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.76

$3.39 CA$4.76

0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 CA$9.25

$16.30 CA$22.85

-59.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.60 CA$41.51

$11.81 CA$16.56

150.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 CA$26.81

$15.64 CA$21.93

22.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.46 CA$7.66

$3.69 CA$5.18

47.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.17

$1.70 CA$2.39

-8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.13

$4.11 CA$5.76

-28.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.52

$4.41 CA$6.18

-26.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 CA$1.54

$2.79 CA$3.91

-60.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$2.64 CA$3.70

-52.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$2.29 CA$3.21

-24.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.14

$1.78 CA$2.50

25.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.34 CA$17.30

$13.17 CA$18.47

-6.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.19 CA$18.49

$10.64 CA$14.92

23.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$2.99 CA$4.19

-27.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.96

$3.44 CA$4.82

-18.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 CA$4.03

$2.81 CA$3.94

2.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.49 CA$63.8

$72.8 CA$102

-37.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 CA$4.31

$3.52 CA$4.93

-12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.45 CA$2.04

2.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.38 CA$51.0

$34.29 CA$48.08

6.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.22 CA$1.72

-10.66%

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

$25.1K CA$35.2K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

-0.51%

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

$23.9K CA$33.5K

$22.1K CA$31.0K

7.85%

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

$249 CA$348

$76.5 CA$107

224.89%

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

$59.9 CA$83.9

$35.60 CA$49.91

68.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 CA$96.2

$42.96 CA$60.2

59.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.58 CA$45.67

$43.39 CA$60.8

-24.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.60

Cinema Ticket

$16.52 CA$23.16

$11.09 CA$15.55

48.96%

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

$550 CA$771

$625 CA$876

-11.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$5,896 CA$8,266

101.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 CA$77.8

$63.1 CA$88.5

-12.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 CA$75.8

$44.50 CA$62.4

21.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 CA$131

$103 CA$144

-9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 CA$179

$118 CA$166

7.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,780 CA$2,495

$1,207 CA$1,692

47.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 CA$2,350

$965 CA$1,353

73.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 CA$3,689

$2,031 CA$2,848

29.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,362 CA$3,311

$1,577 CA$2,211

49.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,655 CA$6,527

$5,085 CA$7,129

-8.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,065 CA$5,699

$3,783 CA$5,304

7.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,165 CA$4,438

$2,890 CA$4,051

9.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

5.01

35.73%

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

Last update for Milton: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,780 in Milton and $1,207 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milton pays 10% 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: $75.0 in Milton vs $74.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $454 vs $395 per month, with Montreal 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

Milton vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milton and Montreal differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($3,143 vs $2,085 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Milton, 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: $1,780 in Milton versus $1,207 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 60% less than in Milton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $550 in Milton versus $625 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,085 in Montreal versus $3,143 in Milton, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Milton. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Milton 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 51% less than in Milton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.