Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Evanston, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $2,592 in Evanston, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Evanston, IL
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Evanston, IL Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Evanston, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,592

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Evanston, 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 Evanston, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $2,592 in Evanston, IL, rent included.

Montreal $2,018
Evanston, IL $2,592

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $4,449 in Evanston, IL, rent included.

Montreal $3,085
Evanston, IL $4,449

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $6,305 in Evanston, IL, rent included.

Montreal $4,152
Evanston, IL $6,305

Montreal is about 22% cheaper than Evanston, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Evanston, IL sit above the global median – Montreal by 49%, Evanston, IL by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 CA$26.61

$21.26 $21.26

-11.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$99.4

$85.6 $85.6

-17.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 CA$15.06

$12.75 $12.75

-16.39%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.43

$5.68 $5.68

-32.39%

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

$1.92 CA$2.71

$2.68 $2.68

-28.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.18

$2.27 $2.27

-32.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.23 CA$8.81

$7.12 $7.12

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 CA$10.03

$8.19 $8.19

-13.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.27

$1.04 $1.04

122.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$3.93 $3.93

-20.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.54

$4.32 $4.32

-25.69%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.97

$4.82 $4.82

-26.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 CA$18.11

$14.41 $14.41

-11.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.20

$14.93 $14.93

-23.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 CA$18.92

$20.11 $20.11

-33.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.43

$5.33 $5.33

-41.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$1.67 $1.67

-13.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.91

$4.03 $4.03

-13.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.34

$4.78 $4.78

-35.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.69

$2.68 $2.68

-29.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.50

$2.85 $2.85

-37.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.31

$2.10 $2.10

11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$2.35 $2.35

-34.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.38 CA$16.09

$10.66 $10.66

6.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CA$15.03

$14.98 $14.98

-29.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$2.56 $2.56

-11.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.99

$3.39 $3.39

-16.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 CA$3.76

$2.44 $2.44

9.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.3 CA$109

$75.2 $75.2

2.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.53

$4.10 $4.10

-21.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.43 $1.43

3.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.88 CA$46.48

$43.26 $43.26

-23.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.90

$1.00 $1.00

34.00%

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

$28.2K CA$39.8K

$35.4K $35.4K

-20.44%

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

$19.6K CA$27.8K

$25.0K $25.0K

-21.35%

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

$76.0 CA$107

$192 $192

-60.42%

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

$33.95 CA$48.00

$61.6 $61.6

-44.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.31 CA$59.8

$72.2 $72.2

-41.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.76 CA$42.07

$76.1 $76.1

-60.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 CA$28.67

$60.8 $60.8

-66.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.77

$14.83 $14.83

-24.81%

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

$507 CA$717

$1,516 $1,516

-66.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.7K

$31.6K $31.6K

-49.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.4

$64.7 $64.7

-11.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.58 CA$53.1

$50.8 $50.8

-26.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$108 $108

-14.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$126 $126

-13.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CA$1,782

$1,645 $1,645

-23.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 CA$1,340

$1,118 $1,118

-15.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 CA$3,021

$3,989 $3,989

-46.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,281

$2,954 $2,954

-45.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,960 CA$7,011

$14.6K $14.6K

-65.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,838 CA$5,425

$12.8K $12.8K

-70.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,827 CA$3,997

$5,335 $5,335

-47.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.77

-33.83%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Evanston, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$948 47%

Evanston, IL

$1.1K 43.1% 18% $170

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$346 17.2%

Evanston, IL

$441 17% 27.3% $95

Eating Out

Montreal

$288 14.3%

Evanston, IL

$348 13.4% 21% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$152 7.5%

Evanston, IL

$326 12.6% 114% $173

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.6%

Evanston, IL

$157 6.1% 17.9% $24

Getting Around

Montreal

$99 4.9%

Evanston, IL

$96 3.7% 2.3% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$52 2.6%

Evanston, IL

$106 4.1% 103% $54

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Montreal versus $1,645 in Evanston, IL. 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 89% higher in Evanston, IL, 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 $70.0 in Montreal versus $86.0 in Evanston, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $441 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Evanston, IL

🕒 Local time

10:06 10:06 AM

09:06 9:06 AM

1 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

74,486

💱 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 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Montreal Evanston, IL 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Evanston, 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 Evanston, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,018 in Montreal, $2,592 in Evanston, IL – roughly 28% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $3,888 in Evanston, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 27% more in Evanston, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal and $86.0 in Evanston, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,018, than in Evanston, IL at $2,592. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Evanston, IL 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 $2,018 in Montreal to $2,592 in Evanston, IL. 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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Evanston, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.