Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Athlone Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Athlone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Montreal versus $3,095 in Athlone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $4,141 in Athlone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $5,188 in Athlone.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 33% less than in Athlone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Athlone 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.05

$19.87 €17.09

-19.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$101

$95.3 €82.0

-23.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.43

$10.58 €9.10

5.39%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.26

$4.68 €4.03

-18.80%

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

$2.18 CA$3.01

$2.50 €2.15

-12.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.16 €1.86

-32.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.48

$7.13 €6.13

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.38

$6.68 €5.74

1.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.22

$1.31 €1.13

77.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.69

$1.30 €1.12

160.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.16

$1.74 €1.50

114.37%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.68

$3.94 €3.39

-14.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.50

$11.18 €9.61

45.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$15.98

$11.96 €10.29

-3.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.10

$12.38 €10.65

23.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$2.76 €2.37

35.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$1.52 €1.30

11.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.68

$2.46 €2.12

67.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.02

$2.80 €2.41

55.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$2.63 €2.27

3.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$2.14 €1.84

22.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$1.63 €1.40

38.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.94 €1.67

-10.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.43

$20.79 €17.88

-35.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$14.93

$11.75 €10.11

-8.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.17

$3.53 €3.04

-14.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.80

$3.66 €3.15

-5.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$1.82 €1.56

50.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$99.4 €85.5

-26.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$5.12 €4.41

-29.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.65 €2.28

-44.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.30

$29.41 €25.30

13.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$2.03 €1.75

-40.39%

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

$24.6K CA$34.1K

$41.7K €35.9K

-40.96%

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

$21.7K CA$30.0K

$40.1K €34.5K

-45.90%

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

$76.0 CA$105

$246 €211

-69.08%

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

$35.72 CA$49.46

$22.09 €19.00

61.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.4

$47.49 €40.85

-9.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.4

$59.6 €51.3

-27.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

$17.11 €14.72

0.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.35

$14.11 €12.14

-21.40%

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

$620 CA$858

$1,351 €1,162

-54.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,078

$7,303 €6,282

-20.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$104 €89.6

-39.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.5

$41.49 €35.69

7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$139

$89.5 €77.0

12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$77.8 €66.9

52.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,677

$1,468 €1,263

-17.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,329

$1,793 €1,542

-46.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,818

$2,483 €2,136

-18.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,201

$2,183 €1,878

-27.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,173

$3,525 €3,032

46.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,446

$3,525 €3,032

11.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,098

$3,848 €3,310

-23.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

4.6

8.91%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Athlone: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $1,468 in Athlone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athlone pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $73.0 in Montreal vs $95.0 in Athlone. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $317, with Athlone cheaper for home cooking.

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 Athlone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Athlone. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montreal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Athlone earns 30% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,211 in Montreal versus $1,468 in Athlone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $620 in Montreal versus $1,351 in Athlone. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Athlone pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $3,095 in Athlone, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Athlone. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Montreal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,063 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Montreal hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Athlone 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 50% less than in Athlone. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.