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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,479 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $3,553 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $4,628 in Cambridge.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 17% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Cambridge 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$14.44 CA$20.08

10.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$65.4 CA$91.0

11.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$9.54 CA$13.27

16.88%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$3.53 CA$4.91

7.65%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.20 CA$3.06

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.63 CA$2.27

-10.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$5.95 CA$8.27

2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$6.69 CA$9.31

1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.12 CA$2.95

9.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.23 CA$3.11

52.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$2.95 CA$4.10

26.44%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$3.09 CA$4.29

9.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$8.21 CA$11.41

97.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$11.67 CA$16.23

-1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$13.97 CA$19.43

9.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.78 CA$5.26

-1.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.20 CA$1.67

41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$3.71 CA$5.16

10.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$3.72 CA$5.18

16.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.70 CA$3.75

0.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.49 CA$3.47

5.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$2.14 CA$2.98

5.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.64 CA$2.28

5.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$13.68 CA$19.03

-2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$12.75 CA$17.73

-15.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$2.47 CA$3.44

21.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$3.21 CA$4.47

7.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.51 CA$3.49

9.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$68.6 CA$95.4

5.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$2.52 CA$3.51

44.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.74 CA$2.42

-16.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$24.06 CA$33.46

38.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.14 CA$1.59

6.14%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

-1.29%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$20.2K CA$28.1K

7.36%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$154 CA$214

-50.65%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$38.79 CA$54.0

-7.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$55.2 CA$76.8

-22.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$30.12 CA$41.89

42.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$11.62 CA$16.16

-4.56%

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

$620 CA$862

$561 CA$780

10.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$10.1K CA$14.1K

-42.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$56.6 CA$78.7

10.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$34.66 CA$48.20

28.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$70.3 CA$97.7

43.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$111 CA$155

6.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$1,411 CA$1,963

-14.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$1,378 CA$1,916

-30.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$2,702 CA$3,757

-24.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$2,106 CA$2,929

-24.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$4,307 CA$5,990

20.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$3,927 CA$5,461

0.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$2,989 CA$4,157

-0.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.64

-24.55%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $1,411 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 1% 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 $65.0 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $338 per month, with Cambridge 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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cambridge earns 1% 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 $1,411 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cambridge pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $65.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,479 in Cambridge, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. 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 Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Cambridge 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 20% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.