Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Fort Frances, Ontario Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Fort Frances, Ontario

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,265 in Fort Frances, Ontario.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $3,436 in Fort Frances, Ontario.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $4,607 in Fort Frances, Ontario.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 9% less than in Fort Frances, Ontario, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Fort Frances, Ontario 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$18.49 CA$25.71

-13.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$58.5 CA$81.3

24.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$12.48 CA$17.35

-10.66%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$3.60 CA$5.01

5.56%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$1.80 CA$2.51

21.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.48 CA$2.06

-1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$5.19 CA$7.22

17.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$5.18 CA$7.20

30.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.46 CA$3.43

-5.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.48 CA$3.45

36.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.41 CA$4.74

9.38%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$3.72 CA$5.17

-9.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$17.70 CA$24.61

-8.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$13.06 CA$18.16

-11.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$11.45 CA$15.93

33.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.47 CA$4.82

7.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.32 CA$1.84

28.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$3.95 CA$5.49

4.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$3.64 CA$5.06

19.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.71 CA$3.77

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.14 CA$2.97

22.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$3.08 CA$4.29

-26.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.45 CA$2.02

19.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$10.89 CA$15.15

22.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$11.94 CA$16.61

-9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$2.13 CA$2.97

41.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$2.23 CA$3.10

55.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.43 CA$3.39

12.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$63.1 CA$87.8

15.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.40 CA$4.73

6.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.44 CA$2.01

1.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$26.26 CA$36.52

27.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.12 CA$1.56

8.04%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$24.7K CA$34.3K

-0.01%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$20.3K CA$28.2K

7.03%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$107 CA$148

-28.65%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$17.66 CA$24.56

102.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$55.7 CA$77.4

-23.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$41.64 CA$57.9

3.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$13.29 CA$18.48

-16.55%

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

$620 CA$862

$747 CA$1,039

-17.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$11.9K CA$16.5K

-50.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$59.3 CA$82.4

5.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$36.26 CA$50.4

22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$74.9 CA$104

34.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$140 CA$194

-14.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$800 CA$1,113

51.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$1,189 CA$1,653

-19.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$1,713 CA$2,382

18.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$2,159 CA$3,003

-26.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$5,043 CA$7,014

2.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$4,375 CA$6,084

-10.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$3,656 CA$5,084

-19.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

25.25%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Fort Frances, Ontario: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $800 in Fort Frances, Ontario. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Frances, Ontario pays 24% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $73.0 in Montreal vs $58.0 in Fort Frances, Ontario for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $371 per month, with Fort Frances, Ontario cheaper across the board.

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 Fort Frances, Ontario: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Fort Frances, Ontario earns 24% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,211 in Montreal versus $800 in Fort Frances, Ontario. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $620 in Montreal versus $747 in Fort Frances, Ontario. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Fort Frances, Ontario pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,265 in Fort Frances, Ontario, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Fort Frances, Ontario. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montreal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fort Frances, Ontario, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Fort Frances, Ontario 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 10% less than in Fort Frances, Ontario. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.