Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Armstrong Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Armstrong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,073 in Montreal versus $2,429 in Armstrong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Montreal versus $3,456 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,277 in Montreal versus $4,483 in Armstrong.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 15% less than in Armstrong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 56% above, Armstrong 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 CA$22.77

$21.65 CA$30.39

-25.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 CA$104

$70.4 CA$98.8

5.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 CA$15.64

$11.20 CA$15.72

-0.54%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.37

$3.76 CA$5.28

1.86%

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

$2.13 CA$3.00

$2.60 CA$3.64

-18.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$2.01 CA$2.82

-27.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 CA$8.58

$5.96 CA$8.37

2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 CA$9.07

$6.79 CA$9.52

-4.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.14

$2.78 CA$3.90

-19.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.52

$2.49 CA$3.49

29.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.13

$3.40 CA$4.77

7.35%

Eggs

$3.36 CA$4.72

$3.85 CA$5.40

-12.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.97 CA$22.41

$9.74 CA$13.67

63.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 CA$16.62

$10.47 CA$14.69

13.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.18 CA$21.31

$15.22 CA$21.37

-0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

$3.88 CA$5.45

-3.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.76 CA$2.47

-3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$4.06 CA$5.70

-1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.25

$3.99 CA$5.60

11.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.73

$2.73 CA$3.83

-2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$2.23 CA$3.14

15.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.12

$2.85 CA$4.00

-22.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$1.81 CA$2.54

-5.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.02 CA$18.27

$13.60 CA$19.10

-4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 CA$15.08

$12.52 CA$17.57

-14.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.30

$3.51 CA$4.93

-12.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 CA$4.98

$3.78 CA$5.30

-6.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$2.32 CA$3.25

15.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.0 CA$104

$62.5 CA$87.7

18.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 CA$5.11

$2.47 CA$3.47

47.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$1.63 CA$2.29

-11.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.18 CA$47.98

$12.77 CA$17.92

167.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.22 CA$1.71

-4.10%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$25.4K CA$35.7K

-1.99%

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

$22.0K CA$30.9K

$19.8K CA$27.8K

11.13%

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

$75.2 CA$106

$158 CA$222

-52.56%

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

$36.93 CA$51.8

$45.16 CA$63.4

-18.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.25 CA$62.1

$63.4 CA$89.0

-30.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 CA$59.0

$42.00 CA$59.0

0.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.79 CA$23.56

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 CA$15.26

$10.72 CA$15.05

1.40%

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

$624 CA$876

$440 CA$618

41.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 CA$8,220

$3,978 CA$5,583

47.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 CA$86.6

$61.8 CA$86.8

-0.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.74 CA$62.8

$39.16 CA$55.0

14.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$143

$80.3 CA$113

26.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$169

$78.4 CA$110

54.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 CA$1,712

$1,297 CA$1,821

-5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 CA$1,341

$1,169 CA$1,641

-18.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 CA$2,869

$2,049 CA$2,877

-0.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 CA$2,223

$1,781 CA$2,500

-11.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,158 CA$7,239

$4,359 CA$6,118

18.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,803 CA$5,338

$3,478 CA$4,881

9.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,899 CA$4,069

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.36

-21.23%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 26, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,220 in Montreal and $1,297 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Montreal vs $70.0 in Armstrong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $371 per month, with Armstrong cheaper across the board.

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 Armstrong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,110 in Montreal and $3,644 in Armstrong to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,220 in Montreal versus $1,297 in Armstrong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 18% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $624 in Montreal versus $440 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,073 in Montreal versus $2,429 in Armstrong, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Armstrong. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montreal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Armstrong, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Armstrong are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.