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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,065 per month in Montreal vs $2,216 in Alliston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,180 per month in Montreal vs $3,433 in Alliston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,296 per month in Montreal vs $4,651 in Alliston, rent included.

Montreal is about 7% cheaper than Alliston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Alliston sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Alliston by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.08 CA$22.03

$18.83 CA$25.80

-14.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$82.6 CA$113

-10.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$14.95

$11.14 CA$15.26

-2.06%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.03

$1.56 CA$2.13

135.26%

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

$2.06 CA$2.83

$2.22 CA$3.04

-7.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.69 CA$2.32

-14.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 CA$8.50

$5.76 CA$7.89

7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.82

$6.78 CA$9.28

-5.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.69 CA$3.68

-13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.42

$2.72 CA$3.73

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$3.65 CA$5.00

5.21%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.54

$3.26 CA$4.46

1.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.40

$13.31 CA$18.24

22.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.33

$13.24 CA$18.14

-9.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.10 CA$20.69

$7.25 CA$9.93

108.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$3.93 CA$5.38

-6.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.17 CA$1.61

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$3.27 CA$4.48

25.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$4.07 CA$5.58

5.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.82

$2.50 CA$3.43

11.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.70

$2.82 CA$3.86

-4.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.35 CA$3.22

-7.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$0.69 CA$0.95

157.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 CA$18.12

$14.91 CA$20.42

-11.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.12

$7.37 CA$10.10

49.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.69 CA$3.69

10.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.71

$3.27 CA$4.49

5.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.84

$2.43 CA$3.33

15.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$98.9

$63.6 CA$87.1

13.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.67 CA$5.02

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.76 CA$2.41

-20.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 CA$46.68

$25.99 CA$35.60

31.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.66

$1.00 CA$1.37

21.00%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$25.2K CA$34.5K

0.62%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$21.6K CA$29.6K

1.34%

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

$74.4 CA$102

$119 CA$163

-37.65%

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

$36.64 CA$50.2

$29.03 CA$39.76

26.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.41 CA$59.5

$53.5 CA$73.3

-18.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.20 CA$59.2

$27.03 CA$37.03

59.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.06

$11.85 CA$16.23

-7.26%

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

$614 CA$842

$1,137 CA$1,557

-45.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 CA$8,022

$18.3K CA$25.0K

-67.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.8

$58.0 CA$79.5

7.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 CA$60.6

$39.22 CA$53.7

12.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$88.5 CA$121

16.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$167

$116 CA$159

4.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,631

$1,293 CA$1,771

-7.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 CA$1,296

$1,176 CA$1,611

-19.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 CA$2,791

$2,038 CA$2,792

-0.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 CA$2,120

$2,238 CA$3,066

-30.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,398 CA$7,395

$4,776 CA$6,543

13.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 CA$5,499

$4,115 CA$5,638

-2.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,128

$1,873 CA$2,566

60.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.16

-2.91%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 11, 2026

Last update for Alliston: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,190 in Montreal versus $1,293 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 61% 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 $74 in Montreal versus $83 in Alliston. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Montreal vs $335 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 7%, 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 $3,097 per month in Montreal and $3,324 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 17% 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 $74.0 in Montreal and $83.0 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 $2,065, than in Alliston at $2,216. 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.