Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and High Level Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and High Level

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,108 in Montreal versus $2,275 in High Level.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,226 in Montreal versus $3,297 in High Level.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,344 in Montreal versus $4,318 in High Level.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 7% less than in High Level, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 53% above, High Level 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.73

$16.86 CA$23.38

5.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$60.0 CA$83.2

22.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.00

$11.19 CA$15.52

-3.40%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.44

$3.31 CA$4.60

18.43%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$2.03 CA$2.81

0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.68 CA$2.33

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 CA$9.14

$5.94 CA$8.23

10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CA$9.90

$5.04 CA$6.99

41.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$1.96 CA$2.72

20.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$2.83 CA$3.93

14.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.33 CA$4.62

-11.41%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.12

$3.09 CA$4.28

19.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.93

$9.17 CA$12.72

48.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.56

$13.08 CA$18.14

-8.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.52

$14.79 CA$20.51

-4.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$4.41 CA$6.11

-18.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.17 CA$1.63

32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$3.62 CA$5.02

-9.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$4.39 CA$6.09

-30.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$2.29 CA$3.17

-12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$2.50 CA$3.47

-24.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.60 CA$3.60

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.58 CA$2.19

-12.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CA$16.36

$13.74 CA$19.05

-14.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 CA$14.98

$11.14 CA$15.45

-3.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$2.78 CA$3.86

-14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$2.91 CA$4.04

-0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.17 CA$3.01

26.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 CA$107

$55.6 CA$77.1

38.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$2.66 CA$3.69

24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.42 CA$1.97

2.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.98 CA$45.74

$27.06 CA$37.53

21.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$1.15 CA$1.59

13.91%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$29.4K CA$40.7K

-2.19%

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

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$19.1K CA$26.5K

7.07%

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

$79.9 CA$111

$139 CA$192

-42.43%

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

$34.79 CA$48.25

$33.52 CA$46.49

3.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.55 CA$59.0

$52.8 CA$73.3

-19.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.50

$42.19 CA$58.5

-30.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

$20.93 CA$29.03

-2.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 CA$15.93

$12.23 CA$16.96

-6.13%

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

$565 CA$784

$887 CA$1,230

-36.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$12.6K CA$17.5K

31.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.5

$56.9 CA$78.9

5.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 CA$58.1

$43.52 CA$60.4

-3.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$73.9 CA$103

40.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$105 CA$146

6.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,795

$1,276 CA$1,770

1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CA$1,407

$1,281 CA$1,777

-20.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,149

$1,717 CA$2,382

32.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,334

$1,568 CA$2,175

7.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,151

$4,084 CA$5,665

26.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

$4,144 CA$5,748

-7.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,205

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.68

-5.13%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Last update for High Level: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,294 in Montreal and $1,276 in High Level. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Montreal vs $60.0 in High Level. Groceries flip the comparison at $358 vs $360, with Montreal 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 High Level: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and High Level differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,108 vs $2,275 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,163 in Montreal and $3,413 in High Level to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,294 in Montreal versus $1,276 in High Level. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,108 per month in Montreal versus $2,275 in High Level – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 39% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,108 in Montreal versus $2,275 in High Level, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in High Level. 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 High Level 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 8% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.