Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,065 per month in Montreal vs $2,286 in Kingston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,180 per month in Montreal vs $3,230 in Kingston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,296 per month in Montreal vs $4,173 in Kingston, rent included.

Montreal is about 10% cheaper than Kingston, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Montreal and Kingston sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Kingston by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.08 CA$22.03

$16.72 CA$22.91

-3.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$74.2 CA$102

-0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$14.95

$11.28 CA$15.46

-3.28%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.69 CA$5.06

-0.54%

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

$2.06 CA$2.83

$1.90 CA$2.60

8.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 CA$8.50

$6.04 CA$8.28

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.82

$6.45 CA$8.83

-0.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.58 CA$3.53

-9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.42

$2.54 CA$3.47

27.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$4.17 CA$5.71

-7.91%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.54

$2.91 CA$3.99

14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.40

$10.68 CA$14.63

53.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.33

$11.42 CA$15.64

4.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.10 CA$20.69

$11.41 CA$15.63

32.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$3.56 CA$4.87

3.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.32 CA$1.80

28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$4.01 CA$5.50

2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$4.86 CA$6.66

-11.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.82

$3.54 CA$4.85

-21.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.70

$2.41 CA$3.30

12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.97 CA$4.07

-26.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.62 CA$2.22

9.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 CA$18.12

$13.87 CA$19.00

-4.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.12

$12.45 CA$17.06

-11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.29 CA$3.13

29.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.71

$3.30 CA$4.53

4.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.84

$2.52 CA$3.46

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$98.9

$58.0 CA$79.5

24.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.27 CA$4.48

12.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.57 CA$2.16

-10.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 CA$46.68

$32.56 CA$44.60

4.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.66

$1.08 CA$1.49

12.04%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$24.6K CA$33.7K

2.88%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$21.4K CA$29.3K

2.38%

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

$74.4 CA$102

$130 CA$178

-42.72%

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

$36.64 CA$50.2

$44.36 CA$60.8

-17.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.41 CA$59.5

$78.7 CA$108

-44.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.20 CA$59.2

$32.36 CA$44.33

33.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

$9.29 CA$12.73

84.93%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.06

$11.18 CA$15.32

-1.70%

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

$614 CA$842

$446 CA$611

37.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 CA$8,022

$11.7K CA$16.0K

-49.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.8

$46.10 CA$63.2

35.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 CA$60.6

$35.95 CA$49.25

23.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$95.1 CA$130

8.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$167

$92.3 CA$126

31.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,631

$1,289 CA$1,766

-7.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 CA$1,296

$1,189 CA$1,630

-20.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 CA$2,791

$2,130 CA$2,918

-4.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 CA$2,120

$1,679 CA$2,301

-7.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,398 CA$7,395

$3,450 CA$4,726

56.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 CA$5,499

$2,513 CA$3,443

59.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,128

$3,086 CA$4,228

-2.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.69

-25.11%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 11, 2026

Last update for Kingston: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,190 in Montreal versus $1,289 in Kingston. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Kingston, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Montreal versus $74 in Kingston. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Montreal vs $359 in Kingston – so Kingston wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,065 in Montreal, $2,286 in Kingston – roughly 11% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,097 per month in Montreal and $3,429 in Kingston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,065 in Montreal and $2,286 in Kingston. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,065, than in Kingston at $2,286. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,065 in Montreal to $2,286 in Kingston. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.