Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Dartmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Dartmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $2,050 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $3,065 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $4,080 in Dartmouth, rent included.

Montreal and Dartmouth have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Montreal and Dartmouth sit above the global median – Montreal by 50%, Dartmouth by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.62

$10.99 CA$15.16

62.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$99.7

$62.3 CA$86.0

16.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$7.15 CA$9.86

52.73%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.47

$3.73 CA$5.14

6.43%

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

$2.07 CA$2.86

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$1.87 CA$2.58

-17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.85

$4.44 CA$6.12

44.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.05

$5.88 CA$8.11

23.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.29

$2.44 CA$3.36

-2.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.42

$2.11 CA$2.90

52.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.23

$3.52 CA$4.85

-12.78%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.07

$3.69 CA$5.09

-0.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.72

$7.78 CA$10.72

74.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.03

$9.27 CA$12.78

25.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.27

$11.07 CA$15.26

26.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.08

$3.67 CA$5.06

0.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$1.62 CA$2.23

-3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.70

$4.79 CA$6.61

-28.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.17

$5.62 CA$7.75

-46.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$1.99 CA$2.75

-0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.19 CA$3.01

-16.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.53

$2.57 CA$3.54

-0.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$2.14 CA$2.95

-35.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.85

$14.24 CA$19.64

-19.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$14.15 CA$19.52

-22.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$3.47 CA$4.79

-34.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.15

$4.00 CA$5.51

-24.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.71

$1.95 CA$2.69

37.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$62.0 CA$85.5

21.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.62

$2.95 CA$4.06

13.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.07

$1.35 CA$1.86

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.47

$21.83 CA$30.10

54.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.11 CA$1.53

16.22%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

$28.0K CA$38.6K

0.94%

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

$20.0K CA$27.5K

$19.6K CA$27.1K

1.71%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$79.5 CA$110

1.13%

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

$34.23 CA$47.21

$41.74 CA$57.6

-17.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.1

$66.0 CA$91.0

-37.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.32

$36.67 CA$50.6

-20.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.15

$13.10 CA$18.07

-10.61%

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

$564 CA$778

$380 CA$524

48.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.2K

$13.8K CA$19.1K

21.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.1

$41.23 CA$56.9

44.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.1

$34.05 CA$46.96

23.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$68.3 CA$94.1

57.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$74.8 CA$103

48.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,770

$1,242 CA$1,713

3.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,365

$1,073 CA$1,480

-7.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,116

$2,020 CA$2,786

11.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,299

$1,859 CA$2,564

-10.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,291

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,258

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,163

$2,629 CA$3,625

14.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.6

-4.13%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Dartmouth: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,242 in Dartmouth. 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 15% higher in Montreal. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Montreal versus $62.0 in Dartmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $352 – making Dartmouth 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 Dartmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,084 per month in Montreal and $3,076 in Dartmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $564 per month in Montreal and $380 in Dartmouth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dartmouth, where all-in costs run around $2,050, than in Montreal at $2,056. In Dartmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,050 in Dartmouth to $2,056 in Montreal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Dartmouth. 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.