Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Bridgewater, NS

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $3,623 in Bridgewater, NS, rent and utilities included – about $19,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
178

Cost of Living Index in Bridgewater, NS
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Bridgewater, NS Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Bridgewater, NS

🇨🇦 Canada

$3,623

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Bridgewater, NS

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montreal and in Bridgewater, NS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $3,623 in Bridgewater, NS, rent included.

Montreal $2,018
Bridgewater, NS $3,623

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $3,988 in Bridgewater, NS, rent included.

Montreal $3,085
Bridgewater, NS $3,988

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $4,353 in Bridgewater, NS, rent included.

Montreal $4,152
Bridgewater, NS $4,353

Montreal is about 44% cheaper than Bridgewater, NS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Bridgewater, NS sit above the global median – Montreal by 49%, Bridgewater, NS by 168%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 CA$26.61

$18.60 CA$26.30

1.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$99.4

$67.1 CA$94.8

4.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 CA$15.06

$10.53 CA$14.89

1.23%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.43

$3.60 CA$5.09

6.67%

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

$1.92 CA$2.71

$1.71 CA$2.42

12.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.18

$1.85 CA$2.62

-16.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.23 CA$8.81

$4.25 CA$6.01

46.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 CA$10.03

$5.63 CA$7.96

26.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.27

$2.11 CA$2.98

9.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$2.70 CA$3.82

16.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.54

$3.45 CA$4.88

-6.96%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.97

$3.69 CA$5.22

-4.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 CA$18.11

$9.79 CA$13.84

30.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.20

$15.22 CA$21.52

-24.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 CA$18.92

$11.37 CA$16.08

17.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.43

$5.18 CA$7.33

-39.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$1.51 CA$2.14

-4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.91

$4.77 CA$6.74

-27.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.34

$3.98 CA$5.63

-22.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.69

$2.05 CA$2.89

-7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.50

$1.96 CA$2.76

-9.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.31

$2.50 CA$3.53

-6.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$2.07 CA$2.92

-25.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.38 CA$16.09

$11.01 CA$15.57

3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CA$15.03

$14.08 CA$19.91

-24.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$2.88 CA$4.08

-21.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.99

$3.70 CA$5.23

-23.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 CA$3.76

$4.14 CA$5.85

-35.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.3 CA$109

$36.91 CA$52.2

109.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.53

$2.83 CA$4.00

13.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.35 CA$1.91

9.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.88 CA$46.48

$21.15 CA$29.91

55.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.90

$1.15 CA$1.62

16.52%

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

$28.2K CA$39.8K

$28.0K CA$39.5K

0.70%

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

$19.6K CA$27.8K

$18.8K CA$26.6K

4.26%

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

$76.0 CA$107

$123 CA$173

-38.01%

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

$33.95 CA$48.00

$40.59 CA$57.4

-16.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.31 CA$59.8

$63.4 CA$89.6

-33.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.76 CA$42.07

$40.23 CA$56.9

-26.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 CA$28.67

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.77

$10.69 CA$15.11

4.30%

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

$507 CA$717

$141 CA$199

259.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.7K

$13.0K CA$18.4K

23.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.4

$38.03 CA$53.8

51.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.58 CA$53.1

$30.30 CA$42.84

24.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$94.4 CA$133

-2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$119 CA$168

-7.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CA$1,782

$1,679 CA$2,374

-24.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 CA$1,340

$2,490 CA$3,520

-61.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 CA$3,021

$3,590 CA$5,076

-40.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,281

$1,785 CA$2,524

-9.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,960 CA$7,011

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,838 CA$5,425

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,827 CA$3,997

$2,335 CA$3,300

21.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.6

-2.61%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bridgewater, NS: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$948 47%

Bridgewater, NS

$2.5K 68.7% 163% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$346 17.2%

Bridgewater, NS

$385 10.6% 11.1% $39

Eating Out

Montreal

$288 14.3%

Bridgewater, NS

$270 7.5% 6.1% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$152 7.5%

Bridgewater, NS

$227 6.3% 48.8% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.6%

Bridgewater, NS

$127 3.5% 5.1% $6.9

Getting Around

Montreal

$99 4.9%

Bridgewater, NS

$63 1.7% 36% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$52 2.6%

Bridgewater, NS

$62 1.7% 18.3% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Montreal versus $1,679 in Bridgewater, NS. 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 21% higher in Montreal, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal versus $67.0 in Bridgewater, NS. Groceries tell a different story – $346 in Montreal vs $385 in Bridgewater, NS – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇨🇦 Bridgewater, NS

🕒 Local time

21:03 9:03 PM

22:03 10:03 PM

1 h ahead of Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

8,790

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Montreal Bridgewater, NS 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

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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 Bridgewater, NS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bridgewater, NS costs about 80% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $5,435 in Bridgewater, NS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 109% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $507 per month in Montreal and $141 in Bridgewater, NS. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,018, than in Bridgewater, NS at $3,623. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bridgewater, NS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,018 versus $3,623 in Bridgewater, NS. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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