Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Effingham, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $2,500 in Effingham, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Effingham, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Effingham, IL
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Effingham, IL Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Effingham, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,500

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Effingham, IL

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 Effingham, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,059 in Montreal versus $2,500 in Effingham, IL.

Montreal $2,059
Effingham, IL $2,500

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,123 in Montreal versus $3,556 in Effingham, IL.

Montreal $3,123
Effingham, IL $3,556

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,187 in Montreal versus $4,612 in Effingham, IL.

Montreal $4,187
Effingham, IL $4,612

Living in Montreal costs roughly 18% less than in Effingham, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 52% above, Effingham, IL 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.84 CA$26.63

$15.06 $15.06

25.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 CA$104

$44.89 $44.89

63.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.90

$11.95 $11.95

-11.80%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.61

$5.53 $5.53

-28.21%

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

$1.94 CA$2.74

$3.21 $3.21

-39.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.22

$2.66 $2.66

-40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.42 CA$9.08

$5.05 $5.05

27.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.19

$7.04 $7.04

2.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.28

$0.89 $0.89

160.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 CA$4.51

$3.40 $3.40

-6.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.50

$4.48 $4.48

-28.79%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.20

$3.67 $3.67

0.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 CA$18.72

$12.49 $12.49

6.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 CA$16.53

$10.81 $10.81

8.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 CA$19.76

$16.77 $16.77

-16.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$5.72 $5.72

-45.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.45 $1.45

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.78

$4.72 $4.72

-28.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.40

$4.37 $4.37

-28.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.72

$2.23 $2.23

-13.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.58

$1.08 $1.08

69.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.34

$2.45 $2.45

-3.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$2.43 $2.43

-38.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CA$15.73

$10.84 $10.84

2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.98

$11.88 $11.88

-10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.14

$2.00 $2.00

11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$4.01

$3.64 $3.64

-21.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.71

$1.84 $1.84

42.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$112

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.56

$1.95 $1.95

65.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.10

$1.76 $1.76

-15.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.22 CA$45.55

$33.78 $33.78

-4.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$0.99 $0.99

37.37%

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

$27.6K CA$39.1K

$30.1K $30.1K

-8.12%

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

$21.2K CA$30.0K

$26.2K $26.2K

-19.13%

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

$77.0 CA$109

$229 $229

-66.42%

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

$34.14 CA$48.26

$44.95 $44.95

-24.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.19 CA$59.7

$65.4 $65.4

-35.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.81 CA$43.56

$41.33 $41.33

-25.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 CA$27.79

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 CA$16.22

$14.98 $14.98

-23.43%

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

$506 CA$716

$1,729 $1,729

-70.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K CA$23.0K

$24.1K $24.1K

-32.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$81.0

$45.09 $45.09

26.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 CA$53.9

$35.03 $35.03

8.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$85.7 $85.7

7.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$65.2 $65.2

68.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,748

$1,628 $1,628

-24.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,381

$1,297 $1,297

-24.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 CA$3,082

$2,487 $2,487

-12.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 CA$2,273

$2,146 $2,146

-25.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,113 CA$7,228

$2,804 $2,804

82.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,744 CA$5,293

$2,326 $2,326

60.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,957 CA$4,180

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.57

-31.81%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Last update for Effingham, IL: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$977 47.4%

Effingham, IL

$1.3K 51.9% 32.8% $320

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$351 17.1%

Effingham, IL

$384 15.4% 9.4% $33

Eating Out

Montreal

$290 14.1%

Effingham, IL

$285 11.4% 1.7% $5.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$153 7.5%

Effingham, IL

$340 13.6% 122% $186

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$134 6.5%

Effingham, IL

$104 4.2% 22.2% $30

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.9%

Effingham, IL

$18 * 0.7% 81.9% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$54 2.6%

Effingham, IL

$71 2.9% 32.6% $18

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 $1,237 in Montreal and $1,628 in Effingham, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Montreal vs $45.00 in Effingham, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $351 vs $384, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Effingham, IL

🕒 Local time

18:04 6:04 PM

17:04 5:04 PM

1 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

12,447

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montreal Effingham, IL 1,420 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Effingham, IL

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 Effingham, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Effingham, IL differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,059 vs $2,500 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,089 in Montreal and $3,750 in Effingham, IL 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,237 in Montreal versus $1,628 in Effingham, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Effingham, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,059 per month in Montreal versus $2,500 in Effingham, IL – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,059 in Montreal versus $2,500 in Effingham, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Effingham, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Effingham, IL 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 21% less than in Effingham, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.