Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Barrie Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Barrie

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,088 in Montreal versus $2,663 in Barrie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,123 in Montreal versus $3,732 in Barrie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,157 in Montreal versus $4,800 in Barrie.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 22% less than in Barrie, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 56% above, Barrie 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.89 CA$21.77

$14.58 CA$19.97

8.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 CA$102

$73.3 CA$100

2.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.83

$10.28 CA$14.09

5.35%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$3.46 CA$4.74

9.83%

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

$2.10 CA$2.88

$1.88 CA$2.58

11.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.08

$1.17 CA$1.61

29.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 CA$8.34

$6.37 CA$8.72

-4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$8.88

$6.07 CA$8.31

6.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.18

$2.72 CA$3.73

-14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CA$4.47

$2.95 CA$4.04

10.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.19

$3.99 CA$5.46

-5.01%

Eggs

$3.46 CA$4.73

$3.06 CA$4.19

13.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.07 CA$22.02

$8.76 CA$12.00

83.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.14

$14.60 CA$20.00

-19.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 CA$20.73

$24.62 CA$33.73

-38.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$3.73 CA$5.11

0.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.27 CA$1.74

34.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.37

$3.05 CA$4.17

28.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.87

$5.15 CA$7.05

-16.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$1.75 CA$2.40

56.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.62

$3.77 CA$5.16

-29.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.13

$2.82 CA$3.86

-19.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.68 CA$2.31

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.39 CA$18.35

$11.63 CA$15.93

15.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 CA$15.00

$10.79 CA$14.78

1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$2.42 CA$3.31

23.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$4.94

$2.30 CA$3.15

56.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.86

$2.55 CA$3.49

10.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 CA$103

$66.5 CA$91.1

12.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.82

$2.89 CA$3.96

21.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.00

$2.05 CA$2.81

-28.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$46.97

$26.21 CA$35.90

30.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.63

$1.14 CA$1.56

4.39%

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

$25.1K CA$34.3K

$24.9K CA$34.1K

0.82%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$20.2K CA$27.7K

8.46%

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

$74.7 CA$102

$194 CA$266

-61.48%

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

$35.83 CA$49.09

$42.42 CA$58.1

-15.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.53 CA$59.6

$76.8 CA$105

-43.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.06 CA$59.0

$36.11 CA$49.48

19.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 CA$23.15

$36.65 CA$50.2

-53.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 CA$15.21

$13.38 CA$18.34

-17.04%

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

$609 CA$834

$1,500 CA$2,055

-59.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,925 CA$8,117

$11.7K CA$16.1K

-49.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 CA$86.0

$71.5 CA$97.9

-12.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.85 CA$61.5

$56.5 CA$77.4

-20.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$138

$147 CA$201

-31.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$162

$113 CA$155

4.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 CA$1,673

$1,415 CA$1,939

-13.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 CA$1,308

$1,306 CA$1,789

-26.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,105 CA$2,883

$2,206 CA$3,023

-4.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 CA$2,192

$1,841 CA$2,522

-13.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,308 CA$7,272

$5,184 CA$7,102

2.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,045 CA$5,542

$4,476 CA$6,132

-9.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,031 CA$4,152

$3,181 CA$4,358

-4.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.63

-24.43%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barrie: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,221 in Montreal and $1,415 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrie pays 5% 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: $75.0 in Montreal vs $73.0 in Barrie. Groceries flip the comparison at $391 vs $405, with Montreal 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 Barrie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Barrie differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($2,088 vs $2,663 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barrie earns 5% 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: $1,221 in Montreal versus $1,415 in Barrie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 13% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $609 in Montreal versus $1,500 in Barrie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,088 in Montreal versus $2,663 in Barrie, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Barrie. 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 Barrie 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 28% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.