Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $2,255 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 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
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,255

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Calgary

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,059 in Montreal versus $2,255 in Calgary.

Montreal $2,059
Calgary $2,255

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,123 in Montreal versus $3,361 in Calgary.

Montreal $3,123
Calgary $3,361

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,187 in Montreal versus $4,468 in Calgary.

Montreal $4,187
Calgary $4,468

Living in Montreal costs roughly 9% less than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 52% above, Calgary 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.84 CA$26.63

$17.58 CA$24.85

7.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 CA$104

$69.1 CA$97.6

6.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.90

$10.59 CA$14.97

-0.47%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.61

$3.84 CA$5.42

3.39%

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

$1.94 CA$2.74

$1.93 CA$2.72

0.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.22

$1.88 CA$2.66

-16.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.42 CA$9.08

$5.09 CA$7.20

26.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.19

$5.64 CA$7.97

27.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.28

$2.00 CA$2.82

16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 CA$4.51

$2.78 CA$3.93

14.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.50

$5.59 CA$7.90

-42.93%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.20

$3.70 CA$5.23

-0.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 CA$18.72

$11.48 CA$16.23

15.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 CA$16.53

$11.20 CA$15.84

4.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 CA$19.76

$18.59 CA$26.28

-24.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$4.70 CA$6.64

-33.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.05

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.78

$4.34 CA$6.13

-22.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.40

$3.79 CA$5.36

-17.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.72

$2.69 CA$3.81

-28.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.58

$2.75 CA$3.88

-33.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.34

$2.56 CA$3.62

-7.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CA$15.73

$14.39 CA$20.34

-22.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.98

$15.81 CA$22.35

-32.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.14

$2.47 CA$3.49

-10.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$4.01

$3.10 CA$4.39

-8.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.71

$2.81 CA$3.97

-6.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$112

$90.6 CA$128

-12.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.56

$3.28 CA$4.64

-1.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.10

$1.40 CA$1.97

5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.22 CA$45.55

$26.49 CA$37.45

21.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.22 CA$1.72

11.48%

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

$27.6K CA$39.1K

$28.4K CA$40.1K

-2.57%

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

$21.2K CA$30.0K

$20.8K CA$29.5K

1.73%

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

$77.0 CA$109

$165 CA$233

-53.21%

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

$34.14 CA$48.26

$38.24 CA$54.1

-10.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.19 CA$59.7

$50.1 CA$70.9

-15.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.81 CA$43.56

$53.8 CA$76.1

-42.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 CA$27.79

$18.04 CA$25.51

8.98%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 CA$16.22

$14.04 CA$19.84

-18.30%

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

$506 CA$716

$797 CA$1,126

-36.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K CA$23.0K

$15.8K CA$22.3K

2.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$81.0

$59.1 CA$83.5

-3.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 CA$53.9

$40.20 CA$56.8

-5.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$90.8 CA$128

1.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$109 CA$155

0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,748

$1,207 CA$1,707

2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,381

$1,011 CA$1,429

-3.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 CA$3,082

$1,949 CA$2,756

11.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 CA$2,273

$1,677 CA$2,371

-4.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,113 CA$7,228

$3,532 CA$4,993

44.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,744 CA$5,293

$3,392 CA$4,795

10.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,957 CA$4,180

$3,152 CA$4,456

-6.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.51

-0.67%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Last update for Calgary: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$977 47.4%

Calgary

$1K 44.8% 3.5% $34

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$351 17.1%

Calgary

$392 17.4% 11.6% $41

Eating Out

Montreal

$290 14.1%

Calgary

$270 12% 6.9% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$153 7.5%

Calgary

$253 11.2% 65% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$134 6.5%

Calgary

$135 6% 0.8% $1.1

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.9%

Calgary

$112 5% 11.8% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$54 2.6%

Calgary

$82 3.6% 52.3% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,237 in Montreal and $1,207 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 7% 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 $69.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $351 vs $392, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

01:51 1:51 AM

23:51 11:51 PM

2 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

1,267,344

💱 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 Calgary 3,020 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Montreal vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and transport. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Calgary. 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: $1,237 in Montreal versus $1,207 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 $69.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,059 per month in Montreal versus $2,255 in Calgary – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,059 in Montreal versus $2,255 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 9% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.