Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Cold Lake Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Cold Lake

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $2,029 in Cold Lake, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $3,036 in Cold Lake, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $4,044 in Cold Lake, rent included.

Montreal costs about 2% more than Cold Lake, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Montreal and Cold Lake sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, Cold Lake by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.12

$18.59 CA$25.83

-14.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$61.6 CA$85.6

18.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.49

$11.43 CA$15.89

-2.45%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.28

$3.83 CA$5.32

-0.78%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.15 CA$2.98

1.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.50 CA$2.09

-2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$5.72 CA$7.95

6.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.41

$5.91 CA$8.21

14.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.23

$1.06 CA$1.47

119.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.71

$2.05 CA$2.84

65.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.18

$3.16 CA$4.39

18.04%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$3.58 CA$4.97

-5.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.58

$11.51 CA$15.99

41.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.04

$12.75 CA$17.71

-9.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.17

$16.06 CA$22.31

-5.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$4.61 CA$6.41

-18.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.11 CA$1.55

53.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.70

$1.89 CA$2.63

117.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$2.19 CA$3.04

98.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.37 CA$3.29

14.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.63

$1.08 CA$1.50

142.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$2.70 CA$3.76

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.93 CA$2.68

-10.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.49

$12.43 CA$17.28

7.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$14.98

$12.26 CA$17.03

-12.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$2.98 CA$4.14

1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.81

$3.27 CA$4.55

5.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.42 CA$3.36

13.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$62.9 CA$87.4

15.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.24 CA$4.50

12.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.66 CA$2.30

-12.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.46

$23.09 CA$32.07

44.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.01 CA$1.40

19.80%

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

$24.6K CA$34.2K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

-1.31%

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

$21.7K CA$30.1K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

-1.49%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$204 CA$284

-62.77%

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

$35.72 CA$49.63

$44.18 CA$61.4

-19.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$65.3 CA$90.8

-34.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.6

$42.61 CA$59.2

0.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.94

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.40

$13.46 CA$18.70

-17.61%

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

$620 CA$861

$708 CA$983

-12.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,106

$11.7K CA$16.3K

-50.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$29.96 CA$41.62

109.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.7

$36.74 CA$51.1

20.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$54.7 CA$76.0

84.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$93.0 CA$129

27.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,683

$899 CA$1,250

34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,333

$867 CA$1,205

10.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,828

$1,614 CA$2,243

26.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,208

$1,517 CA$2,108

4.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,198

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,465

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,113

$3,146 CA$4,371

-5.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.08

-17.60%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cold Lake: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal versus $899 in Cold Lake. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Cold Lake, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal versus $62.0 in Cold Lake. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $342 – making Cold Lake the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cold Lake: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,094 per month in Montreal and $3,043 in Cold Lake. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cold Lake, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal and $62.0 in Cold Lake. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,063 in Montreal and $2,029 in Cold Lake. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Cold Lake, where all-in costs run around $2,029, than in Montreal at $2,063. In Cold Lake it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cold Lake – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cold Lake. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.