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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,065 per month in Montreal vs $2,372 in Alert, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,180 per month in Montreal vs $3,387 in Alert, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,296 per month in Montreal vs $4,403 in Alert, rent included.

Montreal is about 13% cheaper than Alert, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Alert sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Alert by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.08 CA$22.03

$16.96 CA$23.24

-5.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$70.9 CA$97.1

4.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$14.95

$11.00 CA$15.07

-0.82%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.75 CA$5.14

-2.13%

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

$2.06 CA$2.83

$2.03 CA$2.78

1.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.66 CA$2.27

-13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 CA$8.50

$5.41 CA$7.41

14.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.82

$5.98 CA$8.19

7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.10 CA$2.87

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.42

$2.69 CA$3.69

20.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$3.50 CA$4.80

9.71%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.54

$3.51 CA$4.80

-5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.40

$11.18 CA$15.32

46.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.33

$11.74 CA$16.09

1.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.10 CA$20.69

$14.94 CA$20.47

1.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$4.16 CA$5.70

-11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.35 CA$1.85

25.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$3.71 CA$5.08

11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.87 CA$5.30

10.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.82

$2.40 CA$3.29

16.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.70

$2.54 CA$3.48

6.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.63 CA$3.60

-17.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.74 CA$2.38

2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 CA$18.12

$13.78 CA$18.87

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.12

$13.02 CA$17.84

-15.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.92 CA$4.00

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.71

$3.16 CA$4.33

8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.84

$2.35 CA$3.21

19.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$98.9

$63.5 CA$87.0

13.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.13 CA$4.28

17.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.45 CA$1.99

-3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 CA$46.68

$26.04 CA$35.68

30.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.66

$1.17 CA$1.60

3.42%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$25.4K CA$34.7K

-0.16%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$20.5K CA$28.1K

6.42%

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

$74.4 CA$102

$142 CA$195

-47.78%

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

$36.64 CA$50.2

$43.49 CA$59.6

-15.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.41 CA$59.5

$61.4 CA$84.1

-29.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.20 CA$59.2

$41.09 CA$56.3

5.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.06

$11.21 CA$15.36

-1.96%

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

$614 CA$842

$744 CA$1,019

-17.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 CA$8,022

$11.8K CA$16.1K

-50.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.8

$54.5 CA$74.7

14.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 CA$60.6

$40.14 CA$55.0

10.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$86.8 CA$119

18.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$167

$109 CA$150

11.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,631

$1,307 CA$1,791

-8.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 CA$1,296

$1,198 CA$1,641

-21.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 CA$2,791

$2,054 CA$2,815

-0.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 CA$2,120

$1,833 CA$2,511

-15.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,398 CA$7,395

$4,005 CA$5,487

34.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 CA$5,499

$3,770 CA$5,165

6.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,128

$3,566 CA$4,885

-15.50%

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Alert: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,190 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.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Alert, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Montreal versus $71 in Alert. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $367 – 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: $2,065 in Montreal, $2,372 in Alert – roughly 15% apart. Alert costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,097 per month in Montreal and $3,557 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 7% 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 $71.0 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 $2,065, than in Alert at $2,372. 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 $2,065 in Montreal to $2,372 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.