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: $2,065 in Montreal versus $2,433 in Armstrong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,180 in Montreal versus $3,470 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,296 in Montreal versus $4,506 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 53% above, Armstrong 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.08 CA$22.03

$22.21 CA$30.42

-27.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$71.0 CA$97.3

3.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$14.95

$10.95 CA$15.00

-0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.70 CA$5.07

-0.81%

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

$2.06 CA$2.83

$2.62 CA$3.59

-21.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.91 CA$2.62

-24.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 CA$8.50

$5.98 CA$8.19

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.82

$6.64 CA$9.10

-3.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.78 CA$3.81

-15.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.42

$2.54 CA$3.48

27.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$3.40 CA$4.66

12.94%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.54

$3.82 CA$5.23

-13.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.40

$9.94 CA$13.62

64.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.33

$10.60 CA$14.52

12.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.10 CA$20.69

$15.82 CA$21.68

-4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$3.84 CA$5.27

-4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.72 CA$2.36

-1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$4.01 CA$5.50

2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$4.08 CA$5.58

5.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.82

$2.65 CA$3.64

5.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.70

$2.22 CA$3.05

21.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.83 CA$3.87

-23.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.75 CA$2.40

1.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 CA$18.12

$13.37 CA$18.32

-1.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.12

$13.25 CA$18.15

-16.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$3.47 CA$4.76

-14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.71

$3.85 CA$5.28

-10.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.84

$2.33 CA$3.20

20.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$98.9

$63.3 CA$86.7

14.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$2.49 CA$3.41

47.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.66 CA$2.28

-15.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 CA$46.68

$12.76 CA$17.48

167.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.66

$1.27 CA$1.74

-4.72%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$24.9K CA$34.2K

1.53%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$20.0K CA$27.4K

9.24%

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

$74.4 CA$102

$163 CA$224

-54.49%

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

$36.64 CA$50.2

$45.14 CA$61.8

-18.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.41 CA$59.5

$63.6 CA$87.1

-31.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.20 CA$59.2

$41.94 CA$57.5

3.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.06

$10.66 CA$14.60

3.10%

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

$614 CA$842

$444 CA$609

38.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 CA$8,022

$4,116 CA$5,639

42.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.8

$60.8 CA$83.3

3.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 CA$60.6

$39.10 CA$53.6

13.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$81.8 CA$112

26.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$167

$78.4 CA$107

55.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,631

$1,313 CA$1,798

-9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 CA$1,296

$1,169 CA$1,601

-19.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 CA$2,791

$2,028 CA$2,778

0.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 CA$2,120

$1,823 CA$2,497

-15.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,398 CA$7,395

$4,275 CA$5,856

26.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 CA$5,499

$3,225 CA$4,419

24.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,128

$1,096 CA$1,501

175.03%

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,190 in Montreal and $1,313 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 175% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74 in Montreal vs $71 in Armstrong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $375 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Montreal pays 175% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,190 in Montreal versus $1,313 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 14% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $614 in Montreal versus $444 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,065 in Montreal versus $2,433 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 18% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.