Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,088 in Montreal versus $2,471 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,123 in Montreal versus $3,488 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,157 in Montreal versus $4,506 in London.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 15% less than in London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 56% above, London 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.89 CA$21.77

$18.58 CA$25.46

-14.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 CA$102

$72.9 CA$99.9

2.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.83

$10.27 CA$14.07

5.45%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$3.58 CA$4.91

6.15%

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

$2.10 CA$2.88

$1.90 CA$2.60

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.08

$1.86 CA$2.55

-18.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 CA$8.34

$5.93 CA$8.13

2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$8.88

$6.79 CA$9.30

-4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.18

$1.69 CA$2.32

37.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CA$4.47

$2.39 CA$3.28

36.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.19

$3.37 CA$4.61

12.46%

Eggs

$3.46 CA$4.73

$3.38 CA$4.63

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.07 CA$22.02

$9.81 CA$13.44

63.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.14

$12.18 CA$16.69

-3.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 CA$20.73

$9.03 CA$12.38

67.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$4.48 CA$6.14

-16.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.37 CA$1.87

24.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.37

$3.61 CA$4.94

8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.87

$3.86 CA$5.29

10.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$1.69 CA$2.32

62.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.62

$2.05 CA$2.81

28.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.13

$2.11 CA$2.89

8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.43 CA$1.96

19.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.39 CA$18.35

$12.47 CA$17.08

7.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 CA$15.00

$13.28 CA$18.20

-17.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$2.15 CA$2.95

39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$4.94

$2.58 CA$3.53

39.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.86

$2.34 CA$3.21

20.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 CA$103

$81.9 CA$112

-8.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.82

$4.09 CA$5.61

-13.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.00

$1.75 CA$2.40

-16.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$46.97

$31.05 CA$42.54

10.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.63

$1.11 CA$1.53

7.21%

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

$25.1K CA$34.3K

$25.3K CA$34.7K

-0.92%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$20.4K CA$27.9K

7.43%

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

$74.7 CA$102

$143 CA$196

-47.81%

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

$35.83 CA$49.09

$46.69 CA$64.0

-23.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.53 CA$59.6

$58.4 CA$80.0

-25.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.06 CA$59.0

$42.26 CA$57.9

1.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 CA$23.15

$7.32 CA$10.03

130.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 CA$15.21

$11.02 CA$15.10

0.73%

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

$609 CA$834

$554 CA$759

9.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,925 CA$8,117

$14.2K CA$19.5K

-58.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 CA$86.0

$55.3 CA$75.7

13.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.85 CA$61.5

$46.60 CA$63.8

-3.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$138

$85.6 CA$117

17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$162

$80.9 CA$111

46.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 CA$1,673

$1,457 CA$1,997

-16.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 CA$1,308

$1,308 CA$1,792

-27.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,105 CA$2,883

$2,574 CA$3,526

-18.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 CA$2,192

$1,999 CA$2,739

-19.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,308 CA$7,272

$3,587 CA$4,915

47.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,045 CA$5,542

$3,702 CA$5,071

9.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,031 CA$4,152

$3,024 CA$4,142

0.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.21

-19.32%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 27, 2026

Last update for London: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,221 in Montreal and $1,457 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75.0 in Montreal vs $73.0 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 vs $327 per month, with London 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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Montreal pays 0% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,221 in Montreal versus $1,457 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,088 per month in Montreal versus $2,471 in London – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 9% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,088 in Montreal versus $2,471 in London, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in London. 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 London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and London 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 18% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.