Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Burlington

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,064 a month against $2,737 in Burlington, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 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
130

Cost of Living Index in Burlington
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Burlington Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,064

/mo nomad

Burlington

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,737

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Burlington

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 Burlington actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,064 per month in Montreal vs $2,737 in Burlington, rent included.

Montreal $2,064
Burlington $2,737

A couple spends around $3,156 per month in Montreal vs $3,881 in Burlington, rent included.

Montreal $3,156
Burlington $3,881

A family of three spends $4,247 per month in Montreal vs $5,025 in Burlington, rent included.

Montreal $4,247
Burlington $5,025

Montreal is about 25% cheaper than Burlington, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Montreal and Burlington sit above the global median – Montreal by 52%, Burlington by 101%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.98 CA$26.52

$21.84 CA$30.51

-13.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$102

$72.3 CA$101

0.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.20

$10.60 CA$14.80

2.64%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.33

$3.31 CA$4.62

15.11%

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

$1.94 CA$2.71

$2.00 CA$2.80

-3.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.21

$1.55 CA$2.17

1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.37 CA$8.90

$5.57 CA$7.79

14.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 CA$10.15

$6.11 CA$8.53

18.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.11

$2.60 CA$3.63

-14.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$2.86 CA$4.00

10.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.62

$3.78 CA$5.28

-12.43%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.07

$3.76 CA$5.25

-3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 CA$18.38

$10.00 CA$13.97

31.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.15

$10.59 CA$14.79

9.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 CA$19.16

$14.78 CA$20.65

-7.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.60

$3.83 CA$5.36

-14.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CA$2.04

$1.48 CA$2.07

-1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.70

$2.67 CA$3.73

26.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.40

$3.65 CA$5.10

-13.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.64

$1.96 CA$2.74

-3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.50

$1.92 CA$2.68

-6.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.45

$2.09 CA$2.92

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.21

$1.47 CA$2.06

7.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.28 CA$15.77

$13.64 CA$19.06

-17.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 CA$14.66

$10.79 CA$15.08

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.26

$2.80 CA$3.92

-16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.07

$2.92 CA$4.09

-0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$2.65 CA$3.70

-1.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$111

$99.8 CA$139

-20.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.55

$5.09 CA$7.12

-35.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$2.44 CA$3.40

-40.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.43 CA$46.71

$43.32 CA$60.5

-22.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.19 CA$1.67

11.76%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$27.8K CA$38.8K

3.03%

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

$21.1K CA$29.5K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

-2.93%

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

$80.1 CA$112

$144 CA$201

-44.39%

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

$34.30 CA$47.92

$44.16 CA$61.7

-22.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.85 CA$59.9

$67.4 CA$94.2

-36.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.14 CA$43.51

$43.66 CA$61.0

-28.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.41 CA$27.11

$30.23 CA$42.23

-35.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 CA$15.69

$16.13 CA$22.54

-30.38%

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

$525 CA$734

$902 CA$1,261

-41.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.8K

$19.0K CA$26.6K

-14.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 CA$81.0

$69.3 CA$96.8

-16.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 CA$53.2

$65.5 CA$91.5

-41.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 CA$131

$100 CA$140

-6.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$154

$99.8 CA$139

10.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 CA$1,795

$1,729 CA$2,415

-25.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,364

$1,480 CA$2,068

-34.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,173

$2,599 CA$3,631

-12.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,326

$2,176 CA$3,041

-23.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,139 CA$7,180

$5,270 CA$7,363

-2.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,834 CA$5,357

$4,145 CA$5,790

-7.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,002 CA$4,194

$3,285 CA$4,590

-8.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.52

-0.88%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 25, 2026

Last update for Burlington: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$977 47.3%

Burlington

$1.5K 54.1% 51.6% $504

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$351 17%

Burlington

$346 12.7% 1.4% $4.9

Eating Out

Montreal

$291 14.1%

Burlington

$300 11% 3.3% $9.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$157 7.6%

Burlington

$256 9.3% 62.5% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$135 6.5%

Burlington

$151 5.5% 11.7% $16

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.9%

Burlington

$128 4.7% 27.7% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$54 2.6%

Burlington

$76 2.8% 41.7% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,285 in Montreal versus $1,729 in Burlington. 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 9% higher in Burlington, 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 $73 in Montreal versus $72 in Burlington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $346 – making Burlington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇨🇦 Burlington

🕒 Local time

00:01 12:01 AM

Same time as Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

183,314

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.716 USD

1 CAD = 0.641 EUR

1 CAD = 0.716 USD

1 CAD = 0.641 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Montreal Burlington 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Burlington

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Burlington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,096 per month in Montreal and $4,105 in Burlington. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,285 there versus $1,729 in Burlington.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $525 per month in Montreal and $902 in Burlington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,064 in Montreal and $2,737 in Burlington. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Montreal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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