Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Bowmanville, Ontario Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Bowmanville, Ontario

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,288 in Bowmanville, Ontario.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,112 in Montreal versus $3,202 in Bowmanville, Ontario.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,167 in Montreal versus $4,116 in Bowmanville, Ontario.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 10% less than in Bowmanville, Ontario, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 50% above, Bowmanville, Ontario 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.70

$14.30 CA$19.79

24.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$63.2 CA$87.4

14.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$10.13 CA$14.02

7.80%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$3.64 CA$5.04

9.07%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$1.81 CA$2.51

14.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.42 CA$1.96

9.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$5.62 CA$7.77

14.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.09

$6.03 CA$8.34

20.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$2.81 CA$3.89

-14.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$2.83 CA$3.91

13.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$2.55 CA$3.53

20.39%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$4.22 CA$5.84

-12.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.78

$9.92 CA$13.73

36.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.09

$11.06 CA$15.30

5.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.33

$13.61 CA$18.83

2.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$3.65 CA$5.05

0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.25 CA$1.73

24.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$2.89 CA$3.99

17.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$3.88 CA$5.37

-21.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$1.93 CA$2.68

2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.27 CA$3.15

-19.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.38 CA$3.29

7.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.50 CA$2.08

-7.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$14.35 CA$19.85

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$13.18 CA$18.24

-17.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.36 CA$3.26

-4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$2.63 CA$3.65

14.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$2.98 CA$4.13

12.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$0.79 CA$1.09

89.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.63

$21.41 CA$29.62

57.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.13 CA$1.56

14.16%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$28.7K CA$39.7K

-1.36%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$19.6K CA$27.2K

1.71%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$145 CA$201

-44.74%

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

$34.23 CA$47.37

$38.09 CA$52.7

-10.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$53.7 CA$74.3

-22.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.46

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.52

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.20

$10.86 CA$15.03

7.83%

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

$564 CA$781

$912 CA$1,262

-38.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$3,871 CA$5,356

335.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.3

$42.12 CA$58.3

41.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$38.38 CA$53.1

9.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$85.9 CA$119

24.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$104 CA$144

6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,776

$1,680 CA$2,324

-23.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,370

$1,319 CA$1,825

-24.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,127

$1,974 CA$2,732

14.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,307

$1,984 CA$2,746

-15.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,316

$5,085 CA$7,036

3.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,276

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,177

$3,493 CA$4,834

-13.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.53

-2.65%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bowmanville, Ontario: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Montreal and $1,680 in Bowmanville, Ontario. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bowmanville, Ontario pays 16% 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: $72.0 in Montreal vs $63.0 in Bowmanville, Ontario for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $347 per month, with Bowmanville, Ontario 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 Bowmanville, Ontario: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Bowmanville, Ontario. 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: $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,680 in Bowmanville, Ontario. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bowmanville, Ontario pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,056 per month in Montreal versus $2,288 in Bowmanville, Ontario – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,288 in Bowmanville, Ontario, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Bowmanville, Ontario. 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 Bowmanville, Ontario, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Bowmanville, Ontario 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 11% less than in Bowmanville, Ontario. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.