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: $2,084 in Montreal versus $2,367 in Armstrong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,161 in Montreal versus $3,430 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,239 in Montreal versus $4,492 in Armstrong.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 12% less than in Armstrong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 55% above, Armstrong 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 CA$22.30

$22.10 CA$30.87

-27.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 CA$102

$71.1 CA$99.2

3.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.32

$10.84 CA$15.14

1.20%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.29

$3.68 CA$5.14

2.99%

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

$2.16 CA$3.01

$2.72 CA$3.80

-20.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.95 CA$2.72

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 CA$8.24

$5.92 CA$8.27

-0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 CA$9.52

$6.55 CA$9.15

4.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$2.71 CA$3.78

-14.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CA$4.72

$2.52 CA$3.52

34.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.36

$3.26 CA$4.56

17.48%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.75

$3.87 CA$5.40

-12.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.11 CA$22.50

$9.62 CA$13.44

67.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.46

$10.49 CA$14.65

12.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 CA$21.40

$15.30 CA$21.36

0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.11

$4.03 CA$5.63

-9.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.74 CA$2.43

-7.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.68

$3.95 CA$5.52

3.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.14

$4.06 CA$5.67

8.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$2.77 CA$3.87

-3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.72

$2.12 CA$2.96

25.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$2.82 CA$3.94

-18.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.48

$1.75 CA$2.45

1.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.07 CA$18.25

$13.35 CA$18.64

-2.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 CA$14.94

$12.78 CA$17.84

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.37

$3.44 CA$4.81

-9.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.82

$3.88 CA$5.41

-11.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$2.35 CA$3.28

20.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$102

$63.7 CA$89.0

14.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.92

$2.50 CA$3.49

40.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.62 CA$2.27

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.29 CA$46.48

$13.09 CA$18.27

154.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.21 CA$1.70

1.65%

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

$25.4K CA$35.4K

$24.9K CA$34.7K

2.06%

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

$21.5K CA$30.0K

$20.0K CA$27.9K

7.52%

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

$73.9 CA$103

$163 CA$228

-54.67%

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

$36.87 CA$51.5

$45.56 CA$63.6

-19.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.97 CA$60.0

$63.2 CA$88.3

-32.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.82 CA$59.8

$41.64 CA$58.2

2.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 CA$23.55

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 CA$15.63

$10.62 CA$14.83

5.37%

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

$608 CA$850

$444 CA$620

37.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 CA$8,132

$4,025 CA$5,622

44.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 CA$85.3

$60.2 CA$84.1

1.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.96 CA$62.8

$39.32 CA$54.9

14.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$143

$82.2 CA$115

24.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$170

$77.8 CA$109

56.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 CA$1,674

$1,292 CA$1,805

-7.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 CA$1,316

$1,161 CA$1,621

-18.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 CA$2,914

$2,039 CA$2,848

2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 CA$2,178

$1,815 CA$2,535

-14.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,093 CA$7,112

$4,089 CA$5,710

24.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,283

$3,927 CA$5,484

-3.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,880 CA$4,022

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,198 in Montreal and $1,292 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Montreal vs $71.0 in Armstrong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $370 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,126 in Montreal and $3,550 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: $1,198 in Montreal versus $1,292 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 $608 in Montreal versus $444 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,084 in Montreal versus $2,367 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 14% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.