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: $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,801 in Castlebar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,112 in Montreal versus $3,702 in Castlebar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,167 in Montreal versus $4,603 in Castlebar.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 27% less than in Castlebar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 50% above, Castlebar 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.70

$16.86 €14.51

5.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$94.8 €81.6

-23.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$10.82 €9.31

0.92%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$4.34 €3.74

-8.53%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$2.38 €2.05

-13.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.97 €1.70

-21.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$6.50 €5.59

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.09

$5.15 €4.43

41.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$1.79 €1.54

33.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$1.52 €1.31

111.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$1.91 €1.64

60.73%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$4.30 €3.70

-14.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.78

$2.88 €2.48

371.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.09

$4.77 €4.10

143.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.33

$7.11 €6.12

96.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$3.29 €2.83

11.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.93 €1.66

-19.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$3.57 €3.07

-4.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$2.96 €2.54

2.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.45 €2.11

-19.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$0.73 €0.63

149.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$1.44 €1.24

77.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$2.20 €1.89

-36.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$15.66 €13.47

-26.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$12.60 €10.84

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$4.44 €3.82

-49.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$3.60 €3.09

-16.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$3.34 €2.88

-19.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$148 €128

-49.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$4.44 €3.82

-24.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.55 €1.34

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.63

$34.01 €29.26

-0.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$2.04 €1.76

-36.76%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$40.9K €35.2K

-30.83%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$39.0K €33.5K

-48.79%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$245 €211

-67.25%

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

$34.23 CA$47.37

$22.76 €19.59

50.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$58.8 €50.6

-29.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.46

$52.9 €45.50

-44.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.52

$34.45 €29.65

-42.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.20

$11.79 €10.14

-0.68%

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

$564 CA$781

$1,128 €971

-49.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$5,583 €4,804

201.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.3

$99.6 €85.7

-40.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$34.35 €29.56

22.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$106 €91.2

1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$124 €107

-10.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,776

$1,672 €1,439

-23.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,370

$1,511 €1,300

-34.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,127

$2,014 €1,733

12.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,307

$1,816 €1,562

-8.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,316

$3,516 €3,025

50.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,276

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,177

$4,635 €3,989

-34.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.14

6.52%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Castlebar: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Montreal and $1,672 in Castlebar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castlebar pays 54% 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: $72.0 in Montreal vs $95.0 in Castlebar. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $264, 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 36% in total monthly costs ($2,056 vs $2,801 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 54% 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: $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,672 in Castlebar. 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 $2,801 in Castlebar – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 97% less than in Castlebar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,801 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 36% less than in Castlebar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.