Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Cambridge Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Cambridge Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,391 in Cambridge Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $3,434 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $4,477 in Cambridge Bay.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 14% less than in Cambridge Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Cambridge Bay 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.19

$23.39 CA$32.60

-31.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$68.6 CA$95.6

6.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.53

$10.94 CA$15.25

1.92%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.30

$3.72 CA$5.19

2.15%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.03 CA$2.83

7.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.72 CA$2.39

-15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.53

$5.50 CA$7.67

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.44

$5.76 CA$8.02

17.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.14 CA$2.98

8.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.73

$2.69 CA$3.75

26.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.20

$3.49 CA$4.86

6.88%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.71

$3.41 CA$4.76

-0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.65

$11.27 CA$15.71

44.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.08

$11.61 CA$16.19

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.23

$14.96 CA$20.84

1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.21

$3.98 CA$5.55

-6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.35 CA$1.89

25.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.72

$3.65 CA$5.09

12.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.06

$3.67 CA$5.12

18.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$2.50 CA$3.49

8.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.57 CA$3.59

1.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.14

$2.53 CA$3.53

-11.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$1.72 CA$2.39

0.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.55

$14.01 CA$19.53

-5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.03

$12.66 CA$17.64

-14.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.20

$2.92 CA$4.06

3.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.83

$3.18 CA$4.43

8.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.82

$2.33 CA$3.25

17.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$62.9 CA$87.6

15.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.06

$3.11 CA$4.34

16.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.48 CA$2.07

-1.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.61

$25.61 CA$35.69

30.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.16 CA$1.62

4.31%

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

$24.6K CA$34.4K

$25.5K CA$35.6K

-3.38%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

6.00%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$143 CA$199

-46.83%

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

$35.72 CA$49.79

$43.58 CA$60.7

-18.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.7

$63.4 CA$88.4

-32.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.8

$42.41 CA$59.1

1.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$24.02

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.45

$11.55 CA$16.10

-3.98%

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

$620 CA$863

$737 CA$1,028

-15.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,131

$11.7K CA$16.3K

-50.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.3

$55.5 CA$77.3

12.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.9

$39.34 CA$54.8

12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$85.6 CA$119

17.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$105 CA$146

13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,688

$1,290 CA$1,797

-6.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,337

$1,193 CA$1,663

-19.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,837

$2,050 CA$2,857

-0.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,215

$1,801 CA$2,510

-11.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,220

$4,799 CA$6,688

7.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,482

$4,142 CA$5,772

-5.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,125

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.46

-22.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cambridge Bay: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $1,290 in Cambridge Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Montreal vs $69.0 in Cambridge Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $363 per month, with Cambridge Bay 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 Cambridge Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Cambridge Bay differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,063 vs $2,391 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,094 in Montreal and $3,586 in Cambridge Bay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,211 in Montreal versus $1,290 in Cambridge Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,063 per month in Montreal versus $2,391 in Cambridge Bay – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 16% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,391 in Cambridge Bay, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Cambridge Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Cambridge Bay 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 16% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.