Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Cochrane Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Cochrane

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,351 in Cochrane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $3,160 in Cochrane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $3,969 in Cochrane.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 12% less than in Cochrane, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Cochrane 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.05

$18.21 CA$25.22

-12.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$101

$67.5 CA$93.5

8.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.43

$10.21 CA$14.13

9.21%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.26

$3.74 CA$5.18

1.60%

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

$2.18 CA$3.01

$2.10 CA$2.91

3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.70 CA$2.36

-14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.48

$5.75 CA$7.97

6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.38

$5.93 CA$8.22

14.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.22

$2.08 CA$2.88

12.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.69

$2.33 CA$3.22

45.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.16

$3.14 CA$4.35

18.79%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.68

$3.22 CA$4.46

4.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.50

$9.00 CA$12.46

80.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$15.98

$8.70 CA$12.04

32.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.10

$8.83 CA$12.22

72.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$4.70 CA$6.50

-20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$1.33 CA$1.84

27.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.68

$3.78 CA$5.23

8.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.02

$1.51 CA$2.10

188.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$1.50 CA$2.08

80.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$2.18 CA$3.02

20.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$2.62 CA$3.62

-14.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.95 CA$2.70

-11.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.43

$14.71 CA$20.37

-9.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$14.93

$8.62 CA$11.93

25.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.17

$3.08 CA$4.27

-2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.80

$3.29 CA$4.55

5.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$3.64 CA$5.05

-24.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$62.7 CA$86.9

15.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$3.19 CA$4.42

13.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.65 CA$2.29

-11.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.30

$23.60 CA$32.68

41.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.07 CA$1.48

13.08%

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

$24.6K CA$34.1K

$25.4K CA$35.1K

-2.80%

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

$21.7K CA$30.0K

$22.6K CA$31.4K

-4.25%

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

$76.0 CA$105

$203 CA$282

-62.63%

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

$35.72 CA$49.46

$44.75 CA$62.0

-20.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.4

$64.9 CA$89.8

-33.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.4

$48.65 CA$67.4

-11.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.35

$13.39 CA$18.54

-17.18%

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

$620 CA$858

$701 CA$971

-11.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,078

$11.7K CA$16.1K

-49.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$49.54 CA$68.6

26.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.5

$42.27 CA$58.5

5.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$139

$82.7 CA$114

21.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$102 CA$141

16.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,677

$1,260 CA$1,744

-3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,329

$1,194 CA$1,653

-19.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,818

$1,875 CA$2,596

8.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,201

$1,403 CA$1,942

13.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,173

$23.6K CA$32.7K

-78.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,446

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,098

$4,201 CA$5,817

-29.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

0.20%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cochrane: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $1,260 in Cochrane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cochrane pays 42% 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 $68.0 in Cochrane for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $303 per month, with Cochrane 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 Cochrane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Cochrane. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montreal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Cochrane earns 42% 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 $1,260 in Cochrane. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $68.0 in Cochrane. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,063 per month in Montreal versus $2,351 in Cochrane – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,351 in Cochrane, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Cochrane. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Montreal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,063 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Montreal hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Cochrane 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 14% less than in Cochrane. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.