Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Humboldt Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Humboldt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,088 in Montreal versus $2,239 in Humboldt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,123 in Montreal versus $3,168 in Humboldt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,157 in Montreal versus $4,097 in Humboldt.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 7% less than in Humboldt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 56% above, Humboldt 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.89 CA$21.77

$10.90 CA$14.93

45.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 CA$102

$32.81 CA$44.96

127.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.83

$9.78 CA$13.40

10.74%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$3.66 CA$5.02

3.83%

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

$2.10 CA$2.88

$2.18 CA$2.99

-3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.08

$0.92 CA$1.26

64.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 CA$8.34

$4.29 CA$5.88

41.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$8.88

$4.37 CA$5.98

48.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.18

$1.64 CA$2.25

41.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CA$4.47

$1.85 CA$2.53

76.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.19

$3.15 CA$4.32

20.32%

Eggs

$3.46 CA$4.73

$1.82 CA$2.49

90.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.07 CA$22.02

$11.46 CA$15.71

40.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.14

$11.70 CA$16.03

0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 CA$20.73

$17.80 CA$24.38

-15.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$3.65 CA$5.01

2.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.59 CA$2.18

7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.37

$4.24 CA$5.81

-7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.87

$3.52 CA$4.83

21.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$3.18 CA$4.35

-13.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.62

$2.81 CA$3.85

-6.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.13

$2.51 CA$3.44

-9.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$2.36 CA$3.24

-27.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.39 CA$18.35

$14.71 CA$20.15

-8.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 CA$15.00

$13.58 CA$18.61

-19.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$3.80 CA$5.21

-21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$4.94

$3.05 CA$4.17

18.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.86

$2.44 CA$3.34

15.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 CA$103

$63.9 CA$87.5

17.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.82

$3.24 CA$4.44

8.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.00

$0.62 CA$0.85

135.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$46.97

$29.53 CA$40.46

16.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.63

$1.08 CA$1.48

10.19%

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

$25.1K CA$34.3K

$24.8K CA$34.0K

1.05%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$19.7K CA$27.0K

11.24%

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

$74.7 CA$102

$127 CA$175

-41.37%

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

$35.83 CA$49.09

$51.3 CA$70.2

-30.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.53 CA$59.6

$50.7 CA$69.5

-14.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.06 CA$59.0

$42.73 CA$58.5

0.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 CA$23.15

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 CA$15.21

$9.25 CA$12.67

20.00%

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

$609 CA$834

$503 CA$689

21.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,925 CA$8,117

$10.9K CA$14.9K

-45.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 CA$86.0

$60.6 CA$83.0

3.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.85 CA$61.5

$32.86 CA$45.02

36.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$138

$86.3 CA$118

16.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$162

$110 CA$151

7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 CA$1,673

$1,299 CA$1,779

-6.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 CA$1,308

$1,177 CA$1,613

-18.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,105 CA$2,883

$2,021 CA$2,769

4.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 CA$2,192

$1,798 CA$2,464

-11.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,308 CA$7,272

$4,278 CA$5,860

24.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,045 CA$5,542

$3,949 CA$5,410

2.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,031 CA$4,152

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.47

-22.57%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 27, 2026

Last update for Humboldt: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,221 in Montreal and $1,299 in Humboldt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75.0 in Montreal vs $33.00 in Humboldt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 vs $369 per month, with Humboldt 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 Humboldt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,132 in Montreal and $3,358 in Humboldt 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: $1,221 in Montreal versus $1,299 in Humboldt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 18% less than in Humboldt. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $609 in Montreal versus $503 in Humboldt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,088 in Montreal versus $2,239 in Humboldt, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Humboldt. 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 Humboldt, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Humboldt 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 7% less than in Humboldt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.