Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Dawson City Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Dawson City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,046 per month in Montreal vs $1,984 in Dawson City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,169 per month in Montreal vs $3,473 in Dawson City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,292 per month in Montreal vs $4,963 in Dawson City, rent included.

Montreal costs about 3% more than Dawson City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Montreal and Dawson City sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, Dawson City by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 CA$22.89

$26.28 CA$36.78

-37.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 CA$103

$107 CA$150

-31.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.56

$11.16 CA$15.62

-0.45%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.33

$3.98 CA$5.57

-4.27%

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

$2.06 CA$2.89

$1.81 CA$2.54

13.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.71 CA$2.40

-15.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 CA$8.42

$5.62 CA$7.86

6.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.12

$5.84 CA$8.17

11.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.24

$2.80 CA$3.92

-17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.51

$4.17 CA$5.84

-22.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.31

$3.53 CA$4.94

7.37%

Eggs

$3.30 CA$4.62

$5.17 CA$7.24

-36.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.14 CA$22.59

$11.36 CA$15.89

42.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.50 CA$16.10

$14.91 CA$20.87

-22.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.69 CA$21.96

$14.72 CA$20.61

6.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.14

$4.24 CA$5.93

-13.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$1.42 CA$1.99

14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.69

$4.30 CA$6.01

-5.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$4.35 CA$6.08

-1.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$2.38 CA$3.33

10.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.74

$2.58 CA$3.61

3.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 CA$3.06

$2.53 CA$3.54

-13.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.41

$1.78 CA$2.49

-3.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.44

$13.74 CA$19.23

-4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 CA$14.93

$12.27 CA$17.18

-13.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.31

$2.94 CA$4.11

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 CA$4.98

$3.13 CA$4.38

13.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.91

$2.43 CA$3.41

15.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 CA$103

$63.3 CA$88.6

16.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 CA$5.07

$3.26 CA$4.56

11.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.44 CA$2.01

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.30 CA$46.60

$25.51 CA$35.70

30.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.12 CA$1.57

4.46%

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

$25.2K CA$35.3K

$24.8K CA$34.7K

1.88%

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

$22.0K CA$30.8K

$20.5K CA$28.6K

7.57%

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

$73.9 CA$103

$141 CA$197

-47.43%

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

$35.79 CA$50.1

$44.21 CA$61.9

-19.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.99 CA$61.6

$62.4 CA$87.4

-29.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.72 CA$59.8

$41.22 CA$57.7

3.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.95 CA$23.72

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 CA$15.40

$11.63 CA$16.28

-5.42%

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

$608 CA$851

$745 CA$1,043

-18.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,898 CA$8,254

$11.6K CA$16.2K

-49.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 CA$85.5

$67.0 CA$93.8

-8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.70 CA$62.6

$40.01 CA$56.0

11.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$144

$71.0 CA$99.3

44.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$106 CA$148

14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,660

$1,318 CA$1,844

-9.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$949 CA$1,328

$691 CA$968

37.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 CA$2,905

$1,981 CA$2,773

4.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,213

$1,797 CA$2,514

-11.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,063 CA$7,086

$4,325 CA$6,053

17.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,826 CA$5,355

$3,818 CA$5,344

0.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,904 CA$4,065

$2,881 CA$4,032

0.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.46

-22.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: June 13, 2026

Last update for Dawson City: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,186 in Montreal versus $1,318 in Dawson City. 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 1% higher in Montreal, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal versus $107 in Dawson City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $415 – making Montreal 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 Dawson City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,070 per month in Montreal and $2,976 in Dawson City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $608 per month in Montreal and $745 in Dawson City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Montreal – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Dawson City, where all-in costs run around $1,984, than in Montreal at $2,046. In Dawson City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dawson City – 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 Dawson City. 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.