Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Arviat Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Arviat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,065 in Montreal versus $2,332 in Arviat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,180 in Montreal versus $3,375 in Arviat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,296 in Montreal versus $4,417 in Arviat.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 11% less than in Arviat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 53% above, Arviat 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.08 CA$22.03

$16.68 CA$22.85

-3.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$69.9 CA$95.8

5.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$14.95

$11.01 CA$15.08

-0.91%

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

$2.05 CA$2.80

0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.65 CA$2.25

-12.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 CA$8.50

$5.57 CA$7.63

11.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.82

$6.04 CA$8.27

6.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.19 CA$3.00

6.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.42

$2.68 CA$3.67

20.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$3.51 CA$4.81

9.40%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.54

$3.45 CA$4.72

-3.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.40

$11.13 CA$15.25

46.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.33

$11.63 CA$15.94

2.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.10 CA$20.69

$14.96 CA$20.49

0.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$3.98 CA$5.45

-7.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.37 CA$1.88

23.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$3.78 CA$5.17

8.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.87 CA$5.30

10.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.82

$2.39 CA$3.27

16.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.70

$2.47 CA$3.39

9.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.54 CA$3.48

-14.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.72 CA$2.35

3.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 CA$18.12

$13.74 CA$18.83

-3.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.12

$12.78 CA$17.50

-13.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.82 CA$3.86

5.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.71

$3.05 CA$4.17

12.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.84

$2.38 CA$3.27

17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$98.9

$63.3 CA$86.7

14.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.21 CA$4.40

14.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.44 CA$1.97

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 CA$46.68

$26.22 CA$35.92

29.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.66

$1.13 CA$1.54

7.08%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$25.5K CA$34.9K

-0.60%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$20.3K CA$27.8K

7.68%

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

$74.4 CA$102

$144 CA$197

-48.18%

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

$36.64 CA$50.2

$43.06 CA$59.0

-14.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.41 CA$59.5

$61.5 CA$84.3

-29.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.20 CA$59.2

$42.26 CA$57.9

2.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.06

$11.29 CA$15.46

-2.66%

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

$614 CA$842

$732 CA$1,002

-16.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 CA$8,022

$11.7K CA$16.0K

-49.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.8

$53.8 CA$73.7

16.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 CA$60.6

$39.12 CA$53.6

13.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$85.2 CA$117

21.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$167

$109 CA$149

11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,631

$1,313 CA$1,799

-9.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 CA$1,296

$1,178 CA$1,614

-19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 CA$2,791

$2,043 CA$2,799

-0.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 CA$2,120

$1,835 CA$2,515

-15.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,398 CA$7,395

$4,104 CA$5,623

31.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 CA$5,499

$3,730 CA$5,110

7.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,128

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.46

-22.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 11, 2026

Last update for Arviat: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $74 in Montreal vs $70 in Arviat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $364 per month, with Arviat 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 Arviat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Arviat differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,065 vs $2,332 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,097 in Montreal and $3,499 in Arviat 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: $1,190 in Montreal versus $1,313 in Arviat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Montreal versus $732 in Arviat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Arviat pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,065 in Montreal versus $2,332 in Arviat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Arviat. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Arviat 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 13% less than in Arviat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.