Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Markham Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Markham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,088 in Montreal versus $2,802 in Markham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,123 in Montreal versus $3,919 in Markham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,157 in Montreal versus $5,035 in Markham.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 25% less than in Markham, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 56% above, Markham 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.89 CA$21.77

$14.56 CA$19.94

9.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 CA$102

$80.2 CA$110

-6.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.83

$8.78 CA$12.03

23.35%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$3.26 CA$4.47

16.56%

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

$2.10 CA$2.88

$2.10 CA$2.87

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.08

$1.36 CA$1.86

11.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 CA$8.34

$3.77 CA$5.17

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$8.88

$6.47 CA$8.87

0.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.18

$1.77 CA$2.43

31.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CA$4.47

$2.27 CA$3.11

43.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.19

$1.57 CA$2.15

141.40%

Eggs

$3.46 CA$4.73

$3.32 CA$4.55

4.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.07 CA$22.02

$15.61 CA$21.38

2.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.14

$9.94 CA$13.61

18.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 CA$20.73

$7.38 CA$10.11

105.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$4.48 CA$6.14

-16.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.40 CA$1.92

22.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.37

$2.48 CA$3.40

58.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.87

$3.39 CA$4.64

26.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$2.41 CA$3.31

13.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.62

$2.11 CA$2.89

25.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.13

$3.16 CA$4.33

-27.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.67 CA$2.29

2.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.39 CA$18.35

$14.13 CA$19.36

-5.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 CA$15.00

$15.19 CA$20.81

-27.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$2.29 CA$3.13

31.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$4.94

$2.25 CA$3.09

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.86

$3.17 CA$4.34

-11.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 CA$103

$95.4 CA$131

-21.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.82

$3.20 CA$4.39

10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.00

$2.74 CA$3.76

-46.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$46.97

$21.70 CA$29.73

58.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.63

$1.09 CA$1.49

9.17%

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

$25.1K CA$34.3K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

-0.12%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$19.9K CA$27.2K

10.21%

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

$74.7 CA$102

$206 CA$282

-63.72%

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

$35.83 CA$49.09

$33.43 CA$45.80

7.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.53 CA$59.6

$59.6 CA$81.7

-27.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.06 CA$59.0

$46.27 CA$63.4

-6.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 CA$23.15

$14.48 CA$19.84

16.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 CA$15.21

$10.97 CA$15.03

1.19%

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

$609 CA$834

$911 CA$1,249

-33.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,925 CA$8,117

$28.9K CA$39.6K

-79.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 CA$86.0

$44.74 CA$61.3

40.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.85 CA$61.5

$36.81 CA$50.4

21.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$138

$61.0 CA$83.6

65.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$162

$81.6 CA$112

44.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 CA$1,673

$1,715 CA$2,349

-28.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 CA$1,308

$1,606 CA$2,200

-40.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,105 CA$2,883

$2,967 CA$4,064

-29.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 CA$2,192

$2,458 CA$3,368

-34.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,308 CA$7,272

$6,173 CA$8,456

-14.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,045 CA$5,542

$5,668 CA$7,765

-28.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,031 CA$4,152

$3,259 CA$4,465

-7.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.59

-23.98%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 27, 2026

Last update for Markham: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,221 in Montreal and $1,715 in Markham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Markham pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $75.0 in Montreal vs $80.0 in Markham. Groceries flip the comparison at $391 vs $327, with Markham cheaper for home cooking.

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 Markham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Markham. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montreal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Markham earns 8% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,221 in Montreal versus $1,715 in Markham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $609 in Montreal versus $911 in Markham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Markham pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,088 in Montreal versus $2,802 in Markham, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Markham. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Montreal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,088 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Montreal hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Markham 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 34% less than in Markham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.