Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Castlebar Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Castlebar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,085 in Montreal versus $2,883 in Castlebar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,174 in Montreal versus $3,846 in Castlebar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,262 in Montreal versus $4,809 in Castlebar.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 28% less than in Castlebar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 56% above, Castlebar 116% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$16.38 €14.34

0.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$96.6 €84.6

-23.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$11.21 €9.82

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.92 €3.43

-2.04%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$2.37 €2.07

-9.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$2.03 €1.78

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$6.46 €5.66

-5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$5.50 €4.82

22.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$1.73 €1.51

35.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$1.46 €1.28

128.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$2.03 €1.78

84.24%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$4.26 €3.73

-20.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$2.95 €2.58

452.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$4.67 €4.09

152.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$6.86 €6.01

127.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$3.34 €2.92

10.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.94 €1.70

-12.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$2.99 €2.62

37.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$2.97 €2.60

48.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.18 €1.91

27.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$0.70 €0.61

277.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$1.31 €1.15

74.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$2.09 €1.83

-14.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$17.16 €15.03

-23.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$12.68 €11.11

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$3.69 €3.23

-18.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$4.00 €3.50

-14.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$3.38 €2.96

-16.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$145 €127

-49.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$4.38 €3.84

-19.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$2.68 €2.35

-45.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$39.00 €34.16

-12.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$2.01 €1.76

-39.30%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$41.6K €36.5K

-39.35%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$39.8K €34.9K

-44.43%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$278 €244

-72.50%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$24.47 €21.43

45.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$58.1 €50.9

-26.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$79.3 €69.4

-45.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$35.26 €30.88

-52.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$11.48 €10.05

-3.40%

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

$625 CA$879

$1,370 €1,200

-54.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$9,452 €8,278

-37.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$104 €91.3

-39.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$35.10 €30.74

26.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$105 €92.3

-2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$130 €114

-9.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$1,665 €1,458

-27.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$1,529 €1,339

-36.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$2,065 €1,809

-1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,759 €1,540

-10.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$4,309 €3,774

18.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$3,837 €3,360

-24.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

4.04

24.01%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Castlebar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,207 in Montreal and $1,665 in Castlebar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castlebar pays 33% 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: $74.0 in Montreal vs $97.0 in Castlebar. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $255, with Castlebar 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 Castlebar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Castlebar differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($2,085 vs $2,883 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Castlebar. 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: $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,665 in Castlebar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,085 per month in Montreal versus $2,883 in Castlebar – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 99% less than in Castlebar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,085 in Montreal versus $2,883 in Castlebar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Castlebar. 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 Castlebar 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 38% less than in Castlebar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.