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: $3,044 in Milton versus $2,063 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,159 in Milton versus $3,159 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,275 in Milton versus $4,255 in Montreal.

Living in Milton is roughly 48% more expensive than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milton 127% above, Montreal 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.65 CA$20.29

$15.92 CA$22.05

-7.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$100

$73.1 CA$101

-0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.96 CA$17.95

$11.15 CA$15.43

16.23%

Cappuccino

$3.86 CA$5.34

$3.80 CA$5.26

1.58%

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

$3.23 CA$4.48

$2.18 CA$3.01

48.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$1.46 CA$2.02

71.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 CA$11.08

$6.12 CA$8.48

30.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CA$7.48

$6.78 CA$9.38

-20.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$2.33 CA$3.22

7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.61

$3.39 CA$4.69

-23.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.30

$3.73 CA$5.16

21.98%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.81

$3.38 CA$4.68

2.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 CA$9.15

$16.25 CA$22.50

-59.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.96 CA$41.49

$11.54 CA$15.98

159.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 CA$26.37

$15.24 CA$21.10

24.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 CA$7.76

$3.74 CA$5.18

49.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 CA$2.18

$1.70 CA$2.36

-7.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.03

$4.11 CA$5.68

-29.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$4.35 CA$6.02

-24.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 CA$1.44

$2.71 CA$3.75

-61.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$2.62 CA$3.62

-51.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$2.25 CA$3.12

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.15

$1.73 CA$2.39

31.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 CA$17.40

$13.31 CA$18.43

-5.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 CA$18.77

$10.78 CA$14.93

25.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$3.01 CA$4.17

-24.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$3.46 CA$4.80

-21.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.06

$2.74 CA$3.79

6.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.77 CA$63.4

$72.7 CA$101

-37.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.34

$3.63 CA$5.03

-13.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.46 CA$2.02

-0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.15 CA$51.4

$33.44 CA$46.30

11.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.21 CA$1.68

-9.92%

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

$24.8K CA$34.4K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

0.71%

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

$24.2K CA$33.5K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

11.71%

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

$247 CA$341

$76.0 CA$105

224.40%

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

$60.4 CA$83.6

$35.72 CA$49.46

69.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 CA$93.8

$42.86 CA$59.4

58.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.36 CA$46.19

$42.92 CA$59.4

-22.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

Cinema Ticket

$16.87 CA$23.35

$11.09 CA$15.35

52.12%

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

$556 CA$770

$620 CA$858

-10.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.3K

$5,834 CA$8,078

101.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 CA$79.6

$62.7 CA$86.8

-8.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 CA$74.3

$44.41 CA$61.5

20.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$132

$101 CA$139

-5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$179

$119 CA$165

8.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 CA$2,469

$1,211 CA$1,677

47.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 CA$2,315

$960 CA$1,329

74.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 CA$3,583

$2,035 CA$2,818

27.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 CA$3,168

$1,589 CA$2,201

43.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,840 CA$6,701

$5,181 CA$7,173

-6.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,220 CA$5,843

$3,934 CA$5,446

7.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,162 CA$4,378

$2,960 CA$4,098

6.82%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,783 in Milton and $1,211 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milton pays 7% 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: $72.0 in Milton vs $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $459 vs $392, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

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 48% in total monthly costs ($3,044 vs $2,063 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Milton pays 7% more on average, 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: $1,783 in Milton versus $1,211 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 59% less than in Milton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $556 in Milton versus $620 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $3,044 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 48% less than in Milton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.