Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Alliston Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Alliston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $2,171 in Alliston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $3,458 in Alliston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $4,744 in Alliston, rent included.

Montreal is about 5% cheaper than Alliston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Alliston sit above the global median – Montreal by 50%, Alliston by 58%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.70

$18.24 CA$25.24

-2.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$86.9 CA$120

-16.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$10.81 CA$14.96

1.02%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$1.51 CA$2.09

162.91%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$2.10 CA$2.91

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.66 CA$2.30

-6.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$6.57 CA$9.10

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.09

$7.41 CA$10.25

-1.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$2.79 CA$3.86

-14.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$2.59 CA$3.58

23.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$2.55 CA$3.53

20.39%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$3.03 CA$4.20

21.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.78

$10.03 CA$13.87

35.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.09

$12.30 CA$17.02

-5.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.33

$7.29 CA$10.09

91.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$3.78 CA$5.23

-2.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.19 CA$1.65

31.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$3.70 CA$5.12

-7.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$3.93 CA$5.44

-22.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$1.83 CA$2.54

8.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$1.54 CA$2.12

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.32 CA$3.21

10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$0.68 CA$0.95

104.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$14.19 CA$19.64

-19.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$7.32 CA$10.13

49.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.24 CA$3.10

0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$2.53 CA$3.50

18.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$2.40 CA$3.32

12.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$67.6 CA$93.5

11.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$3.09 CA$4.28

8.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.24 CA$1.72

20.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.63

$22.11 CA$30.60

52.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.03 CA$1.43

25.24%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$27.4K CA$37.9K

3.36%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$20.4K CA$28.2K

-2.22%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$130 CA$180

-38.11%

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

$34.23 CA$47.37

$29.10 CA$40.27

17.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$48.92 CA$67.7

-15.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.46

$25.84 CA$35.76

13.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.52

$19.76 CA$27.35

0.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.20

$11.25 CA$15.57

4.09%

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

$564 CA$781

$781 CA$1,081

-27.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$24.2K CA$33.4K

-30.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.3

$56.4 CA$78.0

5.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$42.90 CA$59.4

-1.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$104 CA$143

3.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$127 CA$175

-12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,776

$1,280 CA$1,771

0.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,370

$1,142 CA$1,580

-13.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,127

$1,961 CA$2,713

15.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,307

$2,126 CA$2,941

-21.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,316

$4,388 CA$6,071

20.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,276

$3,357 CA$4,646

13.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,177

$1,892 CA$2,618

59.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.49

-1.78%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Alliston: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,280 in Alliston. 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 60% higher in Montreal, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Montreal versus $87.0 in Alliston. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Montreal vs $307 in Alliston – so Alliston wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Alliston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Alliston is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,084 per month in Montreal and $3,257 in Alliston. 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 16% cheaper in Alliston – 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 $72.0 in Montreal and $87.0 in Alliston. 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 $2,056, than in Alliston at $2,171. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alliston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montreal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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