Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Alert Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Alert

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,055 per month in Montreal vs $2,310 in Alert, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Montreal vs $3,351 in Alert, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,191 per month in Montreal vs $4,391 in Alert, rent included.

Montreal is about 11% cheaper than Alert, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Alert sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, Alert by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 CA$22.56

$16.66 CA$23.50

-4.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$105

$70.2 CA$99.0

5.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.43

$11.21 CA$15.82

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.42

$3.73 CA$5.27

2.95%

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

$2.08 CA$2.94

$2.06 CA$2.90

0.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$1.70 CA$2.40

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.23 CA$8.78

$5.60 CA$7.89

11.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 CA$9.23

$5.95 CA$8.39

9.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 CA$3.33

$2.09 CA$2.95

12.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CA$4.59

$2.73 CA$3.86

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.41

$3.70 CA$5.22

3.51%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.87

$3.37 CA$4.75

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.11 CA$22.72

$11.02 CA$15.54

46.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 CA$16.80

$11.57 CA$16.32

2.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 CA$21.78

$14.75 CA$20.81

4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.19

$4.04 CA$5.70

-8.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 CA$2.29

$1.42 CA$2.01

14.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.82

$3.74 CA$5.27

10.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.29

$3.74 CA$5.28

19.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.80

$2.50 CA$3.52

7.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$2.56 CA$3.61

-0.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.20

$2.58 CA$3.64

-12.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.32 CA$18.79

$13.82 CA$19.50

-3.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 CA$14.93

$10.54 CA$14.87

0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.27

$2.90 CA$4.09

4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 CA$4.96

$3.11 CA$4.38

12.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.96

$2.42 CA$3.41

16.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 CA$104

$63.6 CA$89.7

15.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 CA$4.92

$3.12 CA$4.40

11.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.98

$1.50 CA$2.12

-6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.86 CA$47.76

$25.82 CA$36.42

31.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.11 CA$1.57

9.91%

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

$25.4K CA$35.9K

$24.7K CA$34.9K

2.77%

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

$21.4K CA$30.2K

$20.5K CA$28.9K

4.52%

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

$75.0 CA$106

$145 CA$205

-48.35%

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

$35.87 CA$50.6

$43.60 CA$61.5

-17.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.06 CA$60.7

$63.1 CA$89.0

-31.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.58 CA$60.1

$42.39 CA$59.8

0.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.21 CA$24.27

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 CA$15.53

$11.36 CA$16.02

-3.08%

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

$621 CA$877

$749 CA$1,057

-17.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,904 CA$8,327

$11.7K CA$16.5K

-49.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 CA$88.0

$54.5 CA$76.8

14.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.39 CA$64.0

$39.40 CA$55.6

15.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$147

$86.0 CA$121

21.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 CA$169

$107 CA$151

12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 CA$1,705

$1,307 CA$1,844

-7.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 CA$1,347

$1,165 CA$1,643

-18.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 CA$2,966

$1,993 CA$2,810

5.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 CA$2,252

$1,809 CA$2,552

-11.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,209 CA$7,347

$3,968 CA$5,597

31.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,729 CA$5,260

$3,764 CA$5,309

-0.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,950 CA$4,162

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.46

-22.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 21, 2026

Last update for Alert: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,209 in Montreal versus $1,307 in Alert. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal versus $70.0 in Alert. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $360 – making Alert 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

Montreal vs Alert: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,055 in Montreal, $2,310 in Alert – roughly 12% apart. Alert costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,083 per month in Montreal and $3,465 in Alert. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Alert – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal and $70.0 in Alert. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,055, than in Alert at $2,310. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alert it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,055 in Montreal to $2,310 in Alert. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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