Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 18% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Calgary 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$18.59 CA$25.86

-14.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$70.0 CA$97.4

4.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$10.96 CA$15.24

1.73%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$3.73 CA$5.19

1.88%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$1.99 CA$2.77

9.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.72 CA$2.40

-15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$5.01 CA$6.97

22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$6.50 CA$9.05

4.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.22 CA$3.09

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.67 CA$3.71

26.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.26 CA$4.54

14.42%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$3.35 CA$4.66

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$14.50 CA$20.16

12.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$12.95 CA$18.01

-10.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$16.15 CA$22.46

-5.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$4.32 CA$6.01

-13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.35 CA$1.88

25.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$3.83 CA$5.32

7.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$4.18 CA$5.81

4.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.65 CA$3.68

2.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.74 CA$3.81

-4.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$2.76 CA$3.84

-18.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.95 CA$2.71

-11.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$14.98 CA$20.83

-11.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$14.67 CA$20.40

-26.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$2.84 CA$3.95

5.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$4.02 CA$5.59

-13.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.80 CA$3.90

-2.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$86.2 CA$120

-15.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.60 CA$5.01

0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.32 CA$1.83

10.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$29.01 CA$40.35

15.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.12 CA$1.56

8.04%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

-0.85%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-1.33%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$217 CA$302

-65.00%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$41.55 CA$57.8

-14.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$58.1 CA$80.8

-26.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$54.7 CA$76.1

-21.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

$52.8 CA$73.5

-67.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$12.77 CA$17.75

-13.16%

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

$620 CA$862

$874 CA$1,215

-29.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$15.9K CA$22.2K

-63.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$58.8 CA$81.8

6.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$46.47 CA$64.6

-4.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$87.2 CA$121

15.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$109 CA$151

9.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$1,414 CA$1,966

-14.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$1,172 CA$1,630

-18.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$2,319 CA$3,225

-12.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$1,886 CA$2,623

-15.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$3,892 CA$5,413

33.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$3,503 CA$4,872

12.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$3,149 CA$4,380

-6.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.71

-12.26%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 6% 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: $73.0 in Montreal vs $70.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $397, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

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 Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 6% less. 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: $1,211 in Montreal versus $1,414 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,063 per month in Montreal versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,523 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Calgary. 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 Calgary, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Calgary 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 22% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.