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: $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,316 in Cambridge Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,112 in Montreal versus $3,398 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,167 in Montreal versus $4,481 in Cambridge Bay.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 11% less than in Cambridge Bay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 50% above, Cambridge Bay 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.70

$22.90 CA$31.69

-22.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$66.5 CA$92.0

8.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$10.03 CA$13.87

8.87%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$3.25 CA$4.49

22.15%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$2.09 CA$2.89

-0.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.65 CA$2.28

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$5.15 CA$7.12

24.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.09

$6.26 CA$8.66

16.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$2.09 CA$2.90

14.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$2.63 CA$3.64

22.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$3.05 CA$4.22

0.66%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$3.52 CA$4.87

4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.78

$10.15 CA$14.05

33.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.09

$13.11 CA$18.14

-11.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.33

$15.86 CA$21.94

-11.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$3.82 CA$5.28

-3.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.33 CA$1.85

17.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$3.78 CA$5.23

-9.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$4.02 CA$5.56

-24.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.28 CA$3.15

-13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.26 CA$3.12

-19.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.36 CA$3.27

8.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.60 CA$2.21

-13.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$13.70 CA$18.96

-16.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$12.43 CA$17.20

-12.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.80 CA$3.87

-19.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$2.80 CA$3.87

7.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$2.25 CA$3.11

19.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$58.9 CA$81.5

27.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$2.99 CA$4.14

12.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.61 CA$2.23

-6.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.63

$21.82 CA$30.19

54.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.18 CA$1.63

9.32%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$30.7K CA$42.5K

-7.92%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$17.5K CA$24.2K

14.15%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$154 CA$214

-47.94%

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

$34.23 CA$47.37

$38.97 CA$53.9

-12.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$56.5 CA$78.2

-26.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.46

$47.35 CA$65.5

-38.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.52

$15.94 CA$22.06

24.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.20

$10.80 CA$14.94

8.43%

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

$564 CA$781

$849 CA$1,175

-33.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$12.2K CA$16.8K

38.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.3

$48.81 CA$67.5

21.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$36.66 CA$50.7

14.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$81.5 CA$113

31.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$102 CA$140

9.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,776

$1,234 CA$1,707

4.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,370

$1,235 CA$1,708

-19.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,127

$2,167 CA$2,999

4.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,307

$1,777 CA$2,458

-6.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,316

$4,858 CA$6,722

8.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,276

$3,334 CA$4,613

14.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,177

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.68

-5.77%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cambridge Bay: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Montreal and $1,234 in Cambridge Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72.0 in Montreal vs $67.0 in Cambridge Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $364, 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 Cambridge Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Cambridge Bay differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,056 vs $2,316 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,084 in Montreal and $3,473 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: $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,234 in Cambridge Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,056 per month in Montreal versus $2,316 in Cambridge Bay – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 28% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,316 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 13% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.