Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Grimsby Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Grimsby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,457 in Grimsby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,112 in Montreal versus $2,507 in Grimsby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,167 in Montreal versus $2,556 in Grimsby.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 16% less than in Grimsby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 50% above, Grimsby 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.62

$18.03 CA$24.87

-1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$99.7

$72.0 CA$99.3

0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$10.85 CA$14.97

0.65%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.47

$3.31 CA$4.56

19.94%

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

$2.07 CA$2.86

$1.94 CA$2.68

6.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$1.56 CA$2.14

-0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.85

$5.73 CA$7.90

11.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.05

$6.18 CA$8.53

17.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.29

$2.72 CA$3.75

-12.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.42

$2.92 CA$4.02

9.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.23

$3.50 CA$4.82

-12.29%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.07

$3.78 CA$5.22

-2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.72

$9.32 CA$12.85

45.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.03

$10.78 CA$14.87

7.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.27

$13.84 CA$19.08

0.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.08

$3.59 CA$4.95

2.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$1.48 CA$2.05

5.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.70

$2.69 CA$3.71

26.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.17

$2.94 CA$4.05

3.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$1.91 CA$2.64

3.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$1.93 CA$2.67

-5.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.53

$2.00 CA$2.75

28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.50 CA$2.06

-7.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.85

$13.54 CA$18.67

-15.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$10.90 CA$15.03

0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$2.75 CA$3.79

-17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.15

$2.61 CA$3.60

15.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.62

$4.99 CA$6.88

-32.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.07

$2.47 CA$3.41

-39.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.47

$44.09 CA$60.8

-23.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.10 CA$1.52

17.27%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

$28.5K CA$39.3K

-0.79%

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

$20.0K CA$27.5K

$19.1K CA$26.3K

4.60%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$147 CA$203

-45.41%

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

$34.23 CA$47.21

$45.50 CA$62.7

-24.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.1

$70.3 CA$97.0

-41.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.32

$53.3 CA$73.6

-45.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.15

$9.58 CA$13.21

22.23%

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

$564 CA$778

$1,066 CA$1,471

-47.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.2K

$17.7K CA$24.4K

-4.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.1

$69.7 CA$96.1

-14.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.1

$66.0 CA$91.0

-36.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$98.3 CA$136

9.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$102 CA$140

9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,770

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,365

$1,283 CA$1,769

-22.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,116

$1,816 CA$2,504

24.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,299

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,291

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,258

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,163

$4,372 CA$6,029

-30.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.52

-2.43%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Grimsby: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Grimsby pays 45% 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: $72.0 in Montreal vs $72.0 in Grimsby. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $337, with Grimsby cheaper for home cooking.

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 Grimsby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Grimsby differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($2,056 vs $2,457 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Grimsby. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $564 in Montreal versus $1,066 in Grimsby. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $72.0 in Grimsby. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,457 in Grimsby, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Grimsby. 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 Grimsby 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 20% less than in Grimsby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.