Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Bochum Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Bochum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $1,967 in Bochum, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $3,030 in Bochum, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $4,093 in Bochum, rent included.

Montreal costs about 5% more than Bochum, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Montreal and Bochum sit above the global median – Montreal by 50%, Bochum by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.62

$17.53 €15.07

1.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$99.7

$81.4 €70.0

-11.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$12.85 €11.05

-15.02%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.47

$4.19 €3.60

-5.25%

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

$2.07 CA$2.86

$3.27 €2.81

-36.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$3.05 €2.62

-49.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.85

$5.86 €5.04

9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.05

$5.21 €4.48

39.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.29

$1.33 €1.14

79.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.42

$2.31 €1.98

38.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.23

$3.74 €3.22

-17.91%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.07

$3.75 €3.22

-1.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.72

$15.09 €12.97

-10.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.03

$11.92 €10.25

-2.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.27

$23.93 €20.57

-41.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.08

$3.53 €3.04

4.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$2.13 €1.83

-26.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.70

$2.29 €1.97

48.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.17

$4.36 €3.75

-30.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$1.35 €1.16

46.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$1.28 €1.10

42.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.53

$1.64 €1.41

56.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.04 €0.89

33.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.85

$10.01 €8.61

14.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$5.74 €4.94

90.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$0.89 €0.76

153.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.15

$1.72 €1.48

75.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.71

$3.91 €3.36

-31.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$68.3 €58.7

10.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.62

$5.71 €4.91

-41.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.07

$2.77 €2.38

-45.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.47

$35.27 €30.32

-4.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$2.18 €1.88

-40.83%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

$34.7K €29.8K

-18.43%

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

$20.0K CA$27.5K

$39.9K €34.3K

-50.04%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$415 €357

-80.64%

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

$34.23 CA$47.21

$32.18 €27.67

6.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.1

$39.84 €34.25

3.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.32

$30.34 €26.08

-3.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.43

$27.69 €23.81

-28.17%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.15

$17.25 €14.83

-32.12%

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

$564 CA$778

$425 €366

32.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.2K

$23.7K €20.4K

-28.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.1

$92.8 €79.7

-35.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.1

$42.87 €36.86

-1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$102 €88.0

4.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$141 €121

-21.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,770

$814 €700

57.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,365

$483 €415

105.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,116

$1,328 €1,142

70.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,299

$1,037 €891

60.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,291

$4,139 €3,559

27.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,258

$4,477 €3,848

-14.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,163

$2,709 €2,329

11.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

3.83

15.14%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bochum: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal versus $814 in Bochum. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Montreal, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Montreal versus $81.0 in Bochum. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Montreal vs $349 in Bochum – so Bochum wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bochum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,056 in Montreal, $1,967 in Bochum – roughly 5% apart. Montreal costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,084 per month in Montreal and $2,951 in Bochum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bochum, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Montreal and $81.0 in Bochum. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,056 in Montreal and $1,967 in Bochum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Bochum, where all-in costs run around $1,967, than in Montreal at $2,056. In Bochum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,967 in Bochum to $2,056 in Montreal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bochum. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.