Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Guelph Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Guelph

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,065 in Montreal versus $2,651 in Guelph.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,180 in Montreal versus $3,658 in Guelph.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,296 in Montreal versus $4,666 in Guelph.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 22% less than in Guelph, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 53% above, Guelph 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.08 CA$22.03

$20.52 CA$28.11

-21.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$72.9 CA$99.9

1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$14.95

$11.81 CA$16.17

-7.62%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.65 CA$5.00

0.55%

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

$2.06 CA$2.83

$1.86 CA$2.55

10.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.79 CA$2.46

-19.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 CA$8.50

$5.09 CA$6.97

22.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.82

$5.73 CA$7.85

12.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.08 CA$2.85

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.42

$2.59 CA$3.54

24.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$3.25 CA$4.46

18.15%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.54

$3.17 CA$4.34

4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.40

$8.73 CA$11.95

87.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.33

$8.60 CA$11.79

38.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.10 CA$20.69

$25.69 CA$35.20

-41.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$4.13 CA$5.66

-10.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$0.92 CA$1.25

83.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$3.28 CA$4.50

25.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$2.19 CA$3.00

95.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.82

$2.97 CA$4.06

-6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.70

$2.63 CA$3.60

2.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.43 CA$3.33

-10.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.44 CA$1.98

23.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 CA$18.12

$11.19 CA$15.33

18.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.12

$11.19 CA$15.32

-1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.66 CA$3.64

11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.71

$2.77 CA$3.80

24.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.84

$2.36 CA$3.24

18.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$98.9

$61.9 CA$84.8

16.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$2.35 CA$3.22

56.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.68 CA$2.30

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 CA$46.68

$33.47 CA$45.85

1.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.66

$1.13 CA$1.55

7.08%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$25.0K CA$34.3K

1.16%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$21.5K CA$29.4K

1.76%

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

$74.4 CA$102

$131 CA$180

-43.29%

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

$36.64 CA$50.2

$54.3 CA$74.3

-32.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.41 CA$59.5

$62.2 CA$85.2

-30.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.20 CA$59.2

$54.3 CA$74.4

-20.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

$18.60 CA$25.49

-7.63%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.06

$11.03 CA$15.11

-0.36%

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

$614 CA$842

$933 CA$1,278

-34.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 CA$8,022

$11.0K CA$15.1K

-46.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.8

$62.0 CA$85.0

0.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 CA$60.6

$39.19 CA$53.7

12.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$85.4 CA$117

20.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$167

$125 CA$171

-2.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,631

$1,473 CA$2,018

-19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 CA$1,296

$1,467 CA$2,009

-35.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 CA$2,791

$2,115 CA$2,898

-3.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 CA$2,120

$2,000 CA$2,739

-22.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,398 CA$7,395

$4,855 CA$6,651

11.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 CA$5,499

$5,029 CA$6,890

-20.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,128

$3,330 CA$4,562

-9.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.55

-23.51%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 11, 2026

Last update for Guelph: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,190 in Montreal and $1,473 in Guelph. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guelph pays 11% 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: $74 in Montreal vs $73 in Guelph for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $351 per month, with Guelph 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 Guelph: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Guelph earns 11% 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: $1,190 in Montreal versus $1,473 in Guelph. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Guelph pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $73.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,065 in Montreal versus $2,651 in Guelph, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Guelph. 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 Guelph, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Guelph 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 28% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.