Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Armstrong

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,064 a month against $2,351 in Armstrong, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal, Canada
Armstrong, Canada
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,064
/mo nomad
Armstrong
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,351
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Armstrong

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montreal and in Armstrong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,064 in Montreal versus $2,351 in Armstrong.

  • Montreal $2,064
  • Armstrong $2,351

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,156 in Montreal versus $3,332 in Armstrong.

  • Montreal $3,156
  • Armstrong $3,332

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,247 in Montreal versus $4,313 in Armstrong.

  • Montreal $4,247
  • Armstrong $4,313

Living in Montreal costs roughly 12% less than in Armstrong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 52% above, Armstrong 73% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Armstrong
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.98 CA$26.53
$21.48 CA$30.01
-11.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.0 CA$102
$75.4 CA$105
-3.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.88 CA$15.20
$10.60 CA$14.81
2.64%
Cappuccino
$3.81 CA$5.33
$3.65 CA$5.10
4.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.71
$2.51 CA$3.50
-22.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.21
$1.72 CA$2.41
-8.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.37 CA$8.90
$5.99 CA$8.37
6.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.26 CA$10.15
$6.48 CA$9.05
12.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Armstrong
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 CA$3.11
$2.43 CA$3.39
-8.23%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 CA$4.44
$2.43 CA$3.39
30.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.31 CA$4.62
$3.14 CA$4.39
5.41%
Eggs
$3.63 CA$5.07
$3.65 CA$5.10
-0.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.16 CA$18.39
$10.23 CA$14.29
28.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.56 CA$16.15
$10.35 CA$14.46
11.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.71 CA$19.16
$17.32 CA$24.20
-20.84%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 CA$4.60
$3.91 CA$5.46
-15.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 CA$2.04
$1.41 CA$1.97
3.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.37 CA$4.71
$4.14 CA$5.79
-18.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.15 CA$4.40
$4.08 CA$5.70
-22.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 CA$2.64
$2.68 CA$3.75
-29.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.51
$2.28 CA$3.18
-21.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.47 CA$3.45
$2.53 CA$3.54
-2.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.21
$1.46 CA$2.05
8.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.28 CA$15.77
$12.96 CA$18.11
-12.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.49 CA$14.66
$12.95 CA$18.09
-19.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 CA$3.26
$3.29 CA$4.60
-28.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 CA$4.07
$3.86 CA$5.40
-24.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Armstrong
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 CA$3.65
$2.29 CA$3.21
13.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.1 CA$111
$58.6 CA$81.9
35.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 CA$4.56
$2.10 CA$2.93
55.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 CA$2.01
$1.92 CA$2.68
-25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.43 CA$46.71
$12.44 CA$17.38
168.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 CA$1.86
$1.31 CA$1.82
1.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K CA$40.0K
$25.7K CA$35.9K
11.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.5K
$19.8K CA$27.6K
6.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Armstrong
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.1 CA$112
$136 CA$190
-41.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.30 CA$47.93
$28.07 CA$39.22
22.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.85 CA$59.9
$56.0 CA$78.2
-23.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Armstrong
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.14 CA$43.52
$37.31 CA$52.1
-16.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.41 CA$27.12
$17.08 CA$23.86
13.64%
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 CA$15.69
$10.51 CA$14.68
6.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Armstrong
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$525 CA$734
$144 CA$201
265.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K CA$22.8K
$3,850 CA$5,379
324.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Armstrong
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0 CA$81.0
$60.2 CA$84.0
-3.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.11 CA$53.3
$38.14 CA$53.3
-0.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$131
$80.7 CA$113
15.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$154
$75.8 CA$106
45.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Armstrong
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,285 CA$1,796
$1,096 CA$1,532
17.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$977 CA$1,365
$1,206 CA$1,686
-19.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,271 CA$3,173
$1,825 CA$2,550
24.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,665 CA$2,326
$1,673 CA$2,338
-0.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,139 CA$7,181
$4,342 CA$6,067
18.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,834 CA$5,358
$3,765 CA$5,261
1.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Armstrong
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,002 CA$4,195
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.58
-2.18%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 25, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$977
Armstrong
$1.2K 23.5% $230
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$351
Armstrong
$365 4.1% $14
Eating Out
Montreal
$291
Armstrong
$307 5.7% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$157
Armstrong
$220 39.8% $63
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$135
Armstrong
$115 15% $20
Getting Around
Montreal
$100
Armstrong
$79 20.6% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$54
Armstrong
$58 8.8% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,285 in Montreal and $1,096 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73 in Montreal vs $75 in Armstrong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $365 per month, with Montreal cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇨🇦 Armstrong
🕒 Local time
18:55 6:55 PM
18:55 6:55 PM
Same time as Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Armstrong 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Armstrong

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Montreal cheaper than Armstrong?
Montreal is about 12% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $3,096 in Montreal and $3,527 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.
What is the rent difference between Montreal and Armstrong?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,285 in Montreal versus $1,096 in Armstrong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Armstrong runs roughly 26% less than in Montreal. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $525 in Montreal versus $144 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $2,000 enough to cover costs in Montreal or in Armstrong?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Montreal is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Montreal or in Armstrong?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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