Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Chatham-Kent

For one person, living is cheaper in Chatham-Kent: $1,948 a month against $2,064 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Montreal despite lower rent and utilities.

Montreal, Canada
Chatham-Kent, Canada
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,064
/mo nomad
Chatham-Kent
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,948
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Chatham-Kent

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montreal and in Chatham-Kent actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,064 in Montreal versus $1,948 in Chatham-Kent.

  • Montreal $2,064
  • Chatham-Kent $1,948

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,156 in Montreal versus $2,811 in Chatham-Kent.

  • Montreal $3,156
  • Chatham-Kent $2,811

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,247 in Montreal versus $3,675 in Chatham-Kent.

  • Montreal $4,247
  • Chatham-Kent $3,675

Living in Montreal is roughly 6% more expensive than in Chatham-Kent, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 52% above, Chatham-Kent 43% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Chatham-Kent
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.98 CA$26.67
$17.68 CA$24.84
7.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.0 CA$103
$56.5 CA$79.4
29.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.88 CA$15.29
$9.84 CA$13.83
10.57%
Cappuccino
$3.81 CA$5.36
$2.93 CA$4.12
30.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.73
$1.66 CA$2.33
16.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.22
$1.34 CA$1.88
17.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.37 CA$8.95
$5.27 CA$7.40
20.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.26 CA$10.21
$5.83 CA$8.19
24.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Chatham-Kent
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 CA$3.13
$1.04 CA$1.47
114.42%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 CA$4.46
$1.66 CA$2.33
90.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.31 CA$4.65
$2.39 CA$3.36
38.49%
Eggs
$3.63 CA$5.10
$2.99 CA$4.21
21.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.16 CA$18.49
$11.22 CA$15.76
17.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.56 CA$16.24
$15.10 CA$21.22
-23.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.71 CA$19.27
$16.03 CA$22.52
-14.47%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 CA$4.62
$3.47 CA$4.87
-5.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 CA$2.05
$1.36 CA$1.90
7.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.37 CA$4.73
$3.31 CA$4.66
1.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.15 CA$4.42
$3.46 CA$4.86
-8.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 CA$2.65
$1.33 CA$1.86
42.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.52
$1.86 CA$2.62
-3.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.47 CA$3.47
$1.66 CA$2.34
48.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.22
$1.22 CA$1.71
29.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.28 CA$15.85
$13.07 CA$18.37
-13.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.49 CA$14.74
$10.17 CA$14.29
3.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 CA$3.28
$1.16 CA$1.63
101.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 CA$4.09
$1.20 CA$1.69
142.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Chatham-Kent
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 CA$3.67
$1.83 CA$2.57
42.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.1 CA$111
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 CA$4.58
$2.46 CA$3.45
32.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 CA$2.02
$1.74 CA$2.44
-17.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.43 CA$46.97
$28.20 CA$39.62
18.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 CA$1.87
$1.13 CA$1.59
17.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K CA$40.2K
$27.5K CA$38.7K
4.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.6K
$20.5K CA$28.9K
2.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Chatham-Kent
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.1 CA$112
$143 CA$200
-43.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.30 CA$48.19
$27.92 CA$39.23
22.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.85 CA$60.2
$43.26 CA$60.8
-0.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Chatham-Kent
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.14 CA$43.76
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.41 CA$27.27
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 CA$15.78
$10.75 CA$15.11
4.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Chatham-Kent
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$525 CA$738
$452 CA$635
16.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K CA$22.9K
$15.7K CA$22.0K
4.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Chatham-Kent
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0 CA$81.5
$60.4 CA$84.8
-3.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.11 CA$53.5
$32.86 CA$46.17
15.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$131
$80.3 CA$113
16.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$76.3 CA$107
44.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Chatham-Kent
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,285 CA$1,806
$1,410 CA$1,981
-8.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$977 CA$1,372
$1,006 CA$1,413
-2.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,271 CA$3,190
$1,780 CA$2,501
27.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,665 CA$2,339
$1,549 CA$2,176
7.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,139 CA$7,221
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,834 CA$5,387
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Chatham-Kent
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,002 CA$4,218
$3,074 CA$4,319
-2.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
5.05
-11.29%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chatham-Kent: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$977
Chatham-Kent
$1K 3% $29
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$351
Chatham-Kent
$319 9.1% $32
Eating Out
Montreal
$291
Chatham-Kent
$256 11.9% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$157
Chatham-Kent
$214 36% $57
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$135
Chatham-Kent
$112 16.6% $22
Getting Around
Montreal
$100
Chatham-Kent
$18 * 81.6% $82
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$54
Chatham-Kent
$22 * 59.9% $32

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,285 in Montreal and $1,410 in Chatham-Kent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73 in Montreal vs $56 in Chatham-Kent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $319 per month, with Chatham-Kent cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇨🇦 Chatham-Kent
🕒 Local time
22:43 10:43 PM
22:43 10:43 PM
Same time as Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.712 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.638 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Chatham-Kent 800 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Chatham-Kent

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Chatham-Kent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or Chatham-Kent?
Chatham-Kent wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Montreal. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Chatham-Kent the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Montreal and in Chatham-Kent?
You’d need roughly $3,096 in Montreal and $2,921 in Chatham-Kent 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Montreal compared to Chatham-Kent?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,285 in Montreal versus $1,410 in Chatham-Kent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Montreal or in Chatham-Kent?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Montreal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Montreal compared to Chatham-Kent?
All in, you’ll spend $2,064 per month in Montreal versus $1,948 in Chatham-Kent – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Montreal or Chatham-Kent?
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.

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