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: $2,055 in Montreal versus $2,355 in Cambridge Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,123 in Montreal versus $3,483 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,191 in Montreal versus $4,611 in Cambridge Bay.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 13% less than in Cambridge Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Cambridge Bay 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 CA$22.56

$23.77 CA$33.53

-32.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$105

$70.2 CA$99.0

5.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.43

$10.83 CA$15.28

1.02%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.42

$3.84 CA$5.41

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

$2.08 CA$2.94

$1.95 CA$2.75

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$1.69 CA$2.39

-11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.23 CA$8.78

$5.37 CA$7.58

16.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 CA$9.23

$5.75 CA$8.11

13.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 CA$3.33

$2.13 CA$3.01

10.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CA$4.59

$2.60 CA$3.66

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.41

$3.50 CA$4.93

9.43%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.87

$3.42 CA$4.83

0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.11 CA$22.72

$11.09 CA$15.65

45.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 CA$16.80

$11.57 CA$16.32

2.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 CA$21.78

$15.00 CA$21.15

2.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.19

$4.07 CA$5.74

-9.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 CA$2.29

$1.37 CA$1.94

18.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.82

$3.75 CA$5.29

10.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.29

$3.82 CA$5.39

16.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.80

$2.43 CA$3.43

10.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$2.46 CA$3.47

3.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.20

$2.65 CA$3.73

-14.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.45

$1.79 CA$2.53

-2.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.32 CA$18.79

$13.85 CA$19.53

-3.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 CA$14.93

$12.83 CA$18.09

-17.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.27

$2.95 CA$4.17

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 CA$4.96

$3.16 CA$4.45

11.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.96

$2.34 CA$3.31

20.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 CA$104

$62.8 CA$88.6

17.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 CA$4.92

$3.24 CA$4.56

7.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.98

$1.50 CA$2.12

-6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.86 CA$47.76

$25.99 CA$36.66

30.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.16 CA$1.64

5.17%

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

$25.4K CA$35.9K

$25.2K CA$35.5K

1.08%

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

$21.4K CA$30.2K

$20.7K CA$29.2K

3.50%

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

$75.0 CA$106

$142 CA$200

-47.13%

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

$35.87 CA$50.6

$43.07 CA$60.8

-16.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.06 CA$60.7

$62.0 CA$87.4

-30.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.58 CA$60.1

$41.44 CA$58.5

2.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.21 CA$24.27

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 CA$15.53

$11.59 CA$16.35

-5.00%

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

$621 CA$877

$732 CA$1,033

-15.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,904 CA$8,327

$12.0K CA$16.9K

-50.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 CA$88.0

$53.7 CA$75.8

16.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.39 CA$64.0

$39.68 CA$56.0

14.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$147

$86.9 CA$123

19.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 CA$169

$108 CA$153

10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 CA$1,705

$1,335 CA$1,883

-9.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 CA$1,347

$1,181 CA$1,666

-19.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 CA$2,966

$2,047 CA$2,888

2.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 CA$2,252

$1,803 CA$2,544

-11.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,209 CA$7,347

$4,326 CA$6,101

20.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,729 CA$5,260

$3,558 CA$5,019

4.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,950 CA$4,162

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Cambridge Bay: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,209 in Montreal and $1,335 in Cambridge Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Montreal vs $70.0 in Cambridge Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $365 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 15% in total monthly costs ($2,055 vs $2,355 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,083 in Montreal and $3,533 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: $1,209 in Montreal versus $1,335 in Cambridge Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,055 per month in Montreal versus $2,355 in Cambridge Bay – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 17% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,055 in Montreal versus $2,355 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 15% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.