Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,042 in Montreal versus $2,380 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,163 in Montreal versus $3,404 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,284 in Montreal versus $4,429 in Hamilton.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 14% less than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 49% above, Hamilton 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.22 CA$25.49

$18.04 CA$25.23

1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$98.8

$65.8 CA$92.0

7.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 CA$15.23

$11.30 CA$15.81

-3.63%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.49

$3.58 CA$5.00

9.50%

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

$1.97 CA$2.76

$2.22 CA$3.10

-11.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$1.69 CA$2.37

-5.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 CA$9.12

$5.10 CA$7.14

27.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 CA$10.13

$6.17 CA$8.63

17.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$2.34 CA$3.27

-2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 CA$4.35

$2.30 CA$3.22

35.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$2.74 CA$3.84

10.58%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$5.03

$3.32 CA$4.65

8.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 CA$19.99

$7.91 CA$11.07

80.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 CA$15.93

$10.84 CA$15.16

5.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.37

$13.94 CA$19.51

4.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.81

$3.87 CA$5.42

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.14

$1.23 CA$1.72

24.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$4.31 CA$6.03

-25.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.04

$3.84 CA$5.37

-24.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.67

$2.32 CA$3.25

-17.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 CA$2.52

$1.65 CA$2.30

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.18 CA$3.05

17.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$1.39 CA$1.95

7.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 CA$16.35

$12.79 CA$17.89

-8.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 CA$14.85

$13.60 CA$19.03

-21.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.32

$2.49 CA$3.49

-4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$3.44 CA$4.81

-11.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 CA$3.80

$2.63 CA$3.68

3.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 CA$104

$86.8 CA$121

-14.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.47

$3.61 CA$5.06

-11.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.32 CA$1.85

9.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.52 CA$46.90

$23.89 CA$33.42

40.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.15 CA$1.61

13.91%

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

$28.7K CA$40.1K

$29.0K CA$40.6K

-1.27%

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

$20.4K CA$28.5K

$20.0K CA$28.0K

1.61%

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

$78.2 CA$109

$157 CA$219

-50.12%

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

$35.53 CA$49.70

$43.23 CA$60.5

-17.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.37 CA$60.7

$51.5 CA$72.0

-15.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.84 CA$43.14

$37.74 CA$52.8

-18.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.99 CA$27.97

$21.50 CA$30.07

-7.02%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 CA$16.20

$10.46 CA$14.63

10.71%

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

$552 CA$772

$615 CA$861

-10.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K CA$23.1K

$16.9K CA$23.6K

-2.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$77.5

$49.21 CA$68.8

12.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.30 CA$53.6

$30.79 CA$43.07

24.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 CA$138

$87.6 CA$123

12.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$146

$123 CA$172

-15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CA$1,726

$1,297 CA$1,815

-4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,385

$1,212 CA$1,696

-18.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 CA$3,037

$2,106 CA$2,947

3.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 CA$2,289

$1,931 CA$2,701

-15.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,129 CA$7,176

$2,726 CA$3,813

88.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,724 CA$5,209

$2,722 CA$3,808

36.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,059 CA$4,279

$2,906 CA$4,065

5.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.6

-3.48%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,234 in Montreal and $1,297 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Montreal vs $66.0 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $336 per month, with Hamilton 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 Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Montreal, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,234 in Montreal versus $1,297 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $552 in Montreal versus $615 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Hamilton pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,042 in Montreal versus $2,380 in Hamilton, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. 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 Hamilton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Hamilton 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 17% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.