Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Lille Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Lille

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,080 per month in Montreal vs $1,920 in Lille, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,136 per month in Montreal vs $2,927 in Lille, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,193 per month in Montreal vs $3,933 in Lille, rent included.

Montreal costs about 8% more than Lille, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Montreal and Lille sit above the global median – Montreal by 55%, Lille by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.16 CA$22.14

$17.60 €15.02

-8.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 CA$102

$69.5 €59.3

6.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$14.98

$13.69 €11.68

-20.09%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.05

$3.67 €3.13

0.27%

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

$2.07 CA$2.84

$3.36 €2.86

-38.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.05

$2.07 €1.77

-28.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.20

$8.03 €6.85

-25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 CA$9.27

$5.83 €4.97

15.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.18

$1.54 €1.31

50.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.40

$1.73 €1.47

85.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$2.98 €2.54

25.50%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.48

$3.92 €3.34

-16.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.08 CA$22.02

$22.25 €18.98

-27.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$15.84

$13.03 €11.12

-11.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$24.34 €20.76

-35.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.73 €3.19

-1.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.33

$2.20 €1.88

-22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.56

$2.43 €2.08

67.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.82

$3.19 €2.72

33.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$1.90 €1.62

44.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.65

$2.14 €1.82

24.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 CA$2.96

$1.57 €1.34

37.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.35

$0.65 €0.55

164.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.21 CA$18.10

$13.79 €11.76

-4.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.08 CA$15.19

$8.77 €7.48

26.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.40 €2.05

23.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CA$4.91

$4.31 €3.68

-16.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CA$3.89

$2.28 €1.94

24.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 CA$103

$69.9 €59.6

7.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 CA$4.96

$4.71 €4.02

-23.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.98

$1.89 €1.61

-23.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.03 CA$46.62

$32.94 €28.10

3.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.61

$2.06 €1.75

-42.72%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$37.2K €31.8K

-32.51%

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

$21.5K CA$29.4K

$37.4K €31.9K

-42.65%

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

$75.5 CA$103

$196 €168

-61.54%

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

$35.70 CA$48.91

$23.18 €19.77

54.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 CA$58.9

$29.90 €25.51

43.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.58 CA$58.3

$39.07 €33.32

8.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.17 CA$23.53

$17.81 €15.20

-3.59%

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 CA$15.16

$14.54 €12.40

-23.87%

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

$616 CA$844

$571 €487

7.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,799 CA$7,945

$8,591 €7,328

-32.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 CA$85.3

$90.3 €77.0

-31.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.77 CA$60.0

$36.88 €31.46

18.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$140

$84.8 €72.3

20.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$166

$103 €88.1

16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 CA$1,657

$844 €720

43.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 CA$1,329

$699 €596

38.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 CA$2,856

$1,600 €1,365

30.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 CA$2,186

$1,222 €1,043

30.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,442 CA$7,456

$4,550 €3,881

19.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,046 CA$5,543

$3,206 €2,734

26.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,990 CA$4,096

$3,138 €2,677

-4.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

3.69

35.77%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 20, 2026

Last update for Lille: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,209 in Montreal versus $844 in Lille. 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 5% higher in Lille, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Montreal versus $70 in Lille. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $385 – making Lille the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lille: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,080 in Montreal, $1,920 in Lille – roughly 8% apart. Montreal costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,120 per month in Montreal and $2,881 in Lille. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lille, 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 $2,080 in Montreal and $1,920 in Lille. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Lille. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lille, where all-in costs run around $1,920, than in Montreal at $2,080. In Lille it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal 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 $1,920 in Lille to $2,080 in Montreal. 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 Lille. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.