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: $2,046 in Montreal versus $2,261 in Humboldt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,169 in Montreal versus $3,174 in Humboldt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,292 in Montreal versus $4,087 in Humboldt.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 10% less than in Humboldt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Humboldt 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 CA$23.11

$10.85 CA$15.34

50.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 CA$104

$33.79 CA$47.77

117.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.71

$9.69 CA$13.70

14.65%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.39

$3.64 CA$5.14

4.67%

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

$2.06 CA$2.92

$2.22 CA$3.13

-7.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$0.91 CA$1.28

59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 CA$8.50

$4.53 CA$6.41

32.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.21

$4.45 CA$6.29

46.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.27

$1.64 CA$2.32

41.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.55

$1.80 CA$2.55

78.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.36

$3.03 CA$4.28

25.08%

Eggs

$3.30 CA$4.67

$1.87 CA$2.64

76.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.14 CA$22.81

$11.29 CA$15.95

42.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.50 CA$16.26

$11.99 CA$16.94

-4.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.69 CA$22.17

$17.32 CA$24.49

-9.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.20

$3.65 CA$5.16

0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CA$2.30

$1.68 CA$2.37

-2.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.74

$4.25 CA$6.01

-4.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.06

$3.59 CA$5.07

19.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.74

$3.30 CA$4.66

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.78

$2.70 CA$3.82

-1.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 CA$3.09

$2.57 CA$3.64

-14.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.43

$2.31 CA$3.27

-25.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.62

$14.53 CA$20.53

-9.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 CA$15.07

$13.61 CA$19.23

-21.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.35

$3.76 CA$5.31

-18.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 CA$5.03

$3.06 CA$4.33

16.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.95

$2.31 CA$3.26

21.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 CA$104

$62.4 CA$88.2

17.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 CA$5.12

$3.24 CA$4.58

11.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.95

$0.61 CA$0.87

126.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.30 CA$47.07

$29.92 CA$42.29

11.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.66

$1.08 CA$1.52

8.33%

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

$25.2K CA$35.7K

$25.0K CA$35.4K

0.76%

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

$22.0K CA$31.1K

$20.0K CA$28.3K

9.86%

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

$73.9 CA$104

$123 CA$174

-39.97%

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

$35.79 CA$50.6

$49.86 CA$70.5

-28.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.99 CA$62.2

$50.8 CA$71.8

-13.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.72 CA$60.4

$42.13 CA$59.6

1.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.95 CA$23.96

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 CA$15.55

$9.55 CA$13.50

15.18%

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

$608 CA$859

$495 CA$700

22.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,898 CA$8,336

$10.9K CA$15.4K

-45.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 CA$86.4

$60.7 CA$85.7

0.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.70 CA$63.2

$33.02 CA$46.67

35.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$85.6 CA$121

20.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$172

$110 CA$156

9.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,677

$1,320 CA$1,865

-10.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$949 CA$1,341

$1,167 CA$1,649

-18.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 CA$2,934

$1,981 CA$2,800

4.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,235

$1,804 CA$2,550

-12.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,063 CA$7,157

$5,029 CA$7,109

0.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,826 CA$5,408

$3,737 CA$5,283

2.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,904 CA$4,105

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Humboldt: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,186 in Montreal and $1,320 in Humboldt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Montreal vs $34.00 in Humboldt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $368 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,070 in Montreal and $3,392 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: $1,186 in Montreal versus $1,320 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 $608 in Montreal versus $495 in Humboldt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,046 in Montreal versus $2,261 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 10% less than in Humboldt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.