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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $2,294 in Alert, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $3,335 in Alert, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $4,376 in Alert, rent included.

Montreal is about 10% cheaper than Alert, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Alert sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, Alert by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.19

$16.81 CA$23.42

-5.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$70.6 CA$98.4

3.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.53

$11.10 CA$15.46

0.45%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.30

$3.68 CA$5.13

3.26%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.03 CA$2.83

7.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.66 CA$2.31

-12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.53

$5.38 CA$7.50

13.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.44

$5.77 CA$8.04

17.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.09 CA$2.91

11.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.73

$2.60 CA$3.63

30.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.20

$3.61 CA$5.03

3.32%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.71

$3.37 CA$4.70

0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.65

$11.27 CA$15.71

44.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.08

$11.57 CA$16.12

-0.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.23

$14.86 CA$20.71

2.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.21

$3.98 CA$5.54

-6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.37 CA$1.91

24.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.72

$3.59 CA$5.01

14.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.06

$3.67 CA$5.12

18.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$2.52 CA$3.51

7.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.47 CA$3.44

6.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.14

$2.58 CA$3.60

-12.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$1.71 CA$2.38

1.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.55

$13.84 CA$19.28

-3.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.03

$13.39 CA$18.65

-19.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.20

$2.82 CA$3.93

6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.83

$3.13 CA$4.36

10.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.82

$2.35 CA$3.27

16.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$64.0 CA$89.2

13.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.06

$3.11 CA$4.33

16.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.43 CA$1.99

2.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.61

$25.31 CA$35.27

32.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.13 CA$1.57

7.08%

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

$24.6K CA$34.4K

$24.7K CA$34.5K

-0.37%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

6.32%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$141 CA$197

-46.08%

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

$35.72 CA$49.79

$43.06 CA$60.0

-17.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.7

$62.8 CA$87.5

-31.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.8

$42.67 CA$59.5

0.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$24.02

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.45

$11.31 CA$15.77

-1.95%

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

$620 CA$863

$723 CA$1,007

-14.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,131

$11.8K CA$16.4K

-50.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.3

$54.1 CA$75.4

15.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.9

$40.35 CA$56.2

10.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$86.0 CA$120

17.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$109 CA$152

9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,688

$1,336 CA$1,862

-9.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,337

$1,167 CA$1,626

-17.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,837

$2,051 CA$2,858

-0.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,215

$1,808 CA$2,520

-12.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,220

$5,047 CA$7,034

2.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,482

$3,903 CA$5,440

0.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,125

$3,550 CA$4,947

-16.61%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alert: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal versus $1,336 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 20% 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $71.0 in Alert. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $362 – 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: $2,063 in Montreal, $2,294 in Alert – roughly 11% apart. Alert costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,094 per month in Montreal and $3,442 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 8% 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 $73.0 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 $2,063, than in Alert at $2,294. 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 $2,063 in Montreal to $2,294 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.