Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Brampton Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Brampton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,108 in Montreal versus $2,482 in Brampton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,226 in Montreal versus $3,515 in Brampton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,344 in Montreal versus $4,549 in Brampton.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 15% less than in Brampton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 53% above, Brampton 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.73

$16.40 CA$22.75

8.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$51.4 CA$71.3

43.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.00

$10.88 CA$15.09

-0.64%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.44

$3.43 CA$4.76

14.29%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$1.48 CA$2.06

37.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.24 CA$1.73

22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 CA$9.14

$5.03 CA$6.97

31.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CA$9.90

$5.62 CA$7.79

27.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$3.34 CA$4.64

-29.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$2.15 CA$2.98

50.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.92 CA$4.04

1.03%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.12

$3.25 CA$4.51

13.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.93

$9.73 CA$13.49

40.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.56

$9.99 CA$13.86

19.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.52

$13.81 CA$19.15

1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$3.50 CA$4.86

3.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.82 CA$2.52

-14.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$3.25 CA$4.50

1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$3.42 CA$4.75

-10.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$2.11 CA$2.93

-5.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$2.21 CA$3.07

-14.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.50 CA$3.47

5.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.85 CA$2.56

-24.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CA$16.36

$12.90 CA$17.89

-8.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 CA$14.98

$12.16 CA$16.86

-11.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$2.36 CA$3.28

0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$2.39 CA$3.32

21.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$3.30 CA$4.58

-16.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 CA$107

$101 CA$140

-23.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$3.05 CA$4.23

8.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.25 CA$1.74

16.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.98 CA$45.74

$21.38 CA$29.65

54.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$1.14 CA$1.58

14.91%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$29.0K CA$40.3K

-1.09%

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

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$19.9K CA$27.5K

3.00%

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

$79.9 CA$111

$181 CA$250

-55.75%

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

$34.79 CA$48.25

$31.97 CA$44.34

8.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.55 CA$59.0

$56.5 CA$78.4

-24.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.50

$27.77 CA$38.52

5.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

$30.48 CA$42.27

-33.30%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 CA$15.93

$12.92 CA$17.91

-11.15%

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

$565 CA$784

$952 CA$1,321

-40.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$11.3K CA$15.6K

47.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.5

$62.2 CA$86.3

-3.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 CA$58.1

$42.66 CA$59.2

-1.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$103 CA$142

1.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$114 CA$159

-1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,795

$1,412 CA$1,959

-8.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CA$1,407

$1,275 CA$1,769

-20.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,149

$2,172 CA$3,012

4.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,334

$2,006 CA$2,782

-16.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,151

$5,848 CA$8,111

-11.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

$5,371 CA$7,448

-28.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,205

$2,905 CA$4,028

4.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.72

-5.93%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Last update for Brampton: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,294 in Montreal and $1,412 in Brampton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Montreal vs $51.0 in Brampton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $343 per month, with Brampton 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 Brampton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Montreal, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,294 in Montreal versus $1,412 in Brampton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,108 per month in Montreal versus $2,482 in Brampton – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 31% less than in Brampton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,108 in Montreal versus $2,482 in Brampton, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Brampton. 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 Brampton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Brampton 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 18% less than in Brampton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.