Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Emmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Emmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,042 per month in Montreal vs $1,934 in Emmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,163 per month in Montreal vs $2,957 in Emmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,284 per month in Montreal vs $3,981 in Emmen, rent included.

Montreal costs about 6% more than Emmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Montreal and Emmen sit above the global median – Montreal by 49%, Emmen by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.22 CA$25.49

$22.15 €19.31

-17.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$98.8

$85.4 €74.4

-17.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 CA$15.23

$13.87 €12.09

-21.49%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.49

$3.48 €3.03

12.64%

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

$1.97 CA$2.76

$3.39 €2.96

-41.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$3.38 €2.95

-52.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 CA$9.12

$5.73 €4.99

13.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 CA$10.13

$4.57 €3.98

58.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$1.09 €0.95

110.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 CA$4.35

$2.33 €2.03

33.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$2.74 €2.39

10.58%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$5.03

$4.74 €4.14

-24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 CA$19.99

$12.79 €11.14

11.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 CA$15.93

$13.16 €11.48

-13.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.37

$17.37 €15.14

-16.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.81

$2.78 €2.43

23.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.14

$2.39 €2.08

-35.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$1.87 €1.63

71.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.04

$3.20 €2.79

-9.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.67

$1.91 €1.67

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 CA$2.52

$1.84 €1.60

-2.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$1.23 €1.07

108.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$0.78 €0.68

92.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 CA$16.35

$12.58 €10.97

-7.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 CA$14.85

$7.09 €6.18

49.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.32

$1.43 €1.24

65.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$2.66 €2.32

13.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 CA$3.80

$2.28 €1.99

19.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 CA$104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.47

$8.89 €7.75

-64.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.99 €1.73

-27.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.52 CA$46.90

$22.98 €20.03

45.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$2.35 €2.05

-44.26%

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

$28.7K CA$40.1K

$42.9K €37.4K

-33.15%

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

$20.4K CA$28.5K

$39.5K €34.4K

-48.39%

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

$78.2 CA$109

$172 €150

-54.66%

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

$35.53 CA$49.70

$19.04 €16.59

86.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.37 CA$60.7

$56.9 €49.58

-23.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.84 CA$43.14

$43.23 €37.68

-28.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.99 CA$27.97

$22.65 €19.75

-11.74%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 CA$16.20

$13.69 €11.94

-15.41%

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

$552 CA$772

$2,577 €2,246

-78.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K CA$23.1K

$8,380 €7,305

96.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$77.5

$77.8 €67.8

-28.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.30 CA$53.6

$41.64 €36.30

-8.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 CA$138

$92.7 €80.8

6.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$146

$105 €91.7

-0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CA$1,726

$921 €803

33.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,385

$808 €705

22.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 CA$3,037

$1,701 €1,483

27.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 CA$2,289

$1,374 €1,197

19.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,129 CA$7,176

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,724 CA$5,209

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,059 CA$4,279

$2,845 €2,480

7.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

3.65

21.64%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 13, 2026

Last update for Emmen: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,234 in Montreal versus $921 in Emmen. 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 8% 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 $71.0 in Montreal versus $85.0 in Emmen. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Montreal vs $322 in Emmen – so Emmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Emmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,042 in Montreal, $1,934 in Emmen – roughly 6% apart. Montreal costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,063 per month in Montreal and $2,902 in Emmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Emmen, 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 $71.0 in Montreal and $85.0 in Emmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Emmen, where all-in costs run around $1,934, than in Montreal at $2,042. In Emmen 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 $1,934 in Emmen to $2,042 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 Emmen. 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.