Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Medicine Hat Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Medicine Hat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $1,870 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $2,748 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $3,625 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

Montreal costs about 10% more than Medicine Hat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Medicine Hat sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, Medicine Hat by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$15.57 CA$21.65

2.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$71.3 CA$99.2

2.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$8.16 CA$11.35

36.64%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$3.72 CA$5.17

2.15%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$1.99 CA$2.77

9.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.72 CA$2.39

-15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$5.06 CA$7.04

20.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$3.93 CA$5.47

72.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$1.55 CA$2.15

50.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$1.82 CA$2.53

86.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.42 CA$4.75

9.06%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$3.22 CA$4.48

4.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$8.18 CA$11.37

98.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$11.25 CA$15.65

2.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$13.38 CA$18.61

13.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.83 CA$5.33

-2.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.34 CA$1.86

26.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$2.51 CA$3.49

63.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$3.34 CA$4.65

30.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$1.49 CA$2.07

81.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$1.53 CA$2.13

71.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$2.64 CA$3.68

-14.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.56 CA$2.16

10.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$11.73 CA$16.32

13.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$13.06 CA$18.16

-17.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$2.64 CA$3.67

14.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$3.66 CA$5.09

-5.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.34 CA$3.25

17.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$51.0 CA$70.9

42.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.59 CA$4.99

1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.30 CA$1.81

12.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$29.19 CA$40.60

14.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.06 CA$1.47

14.15%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

-1.31%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$22.2K CA$30.8K

-2.18%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$212 CA$295

-64.20%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$41.51 CA$57.7

-13.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$59.0 CA$82.1

-27.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$57.3 CA$79.7

-25.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

$37.53 CA$52.2

-54.09%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$12.28 CA$17.07

-9.69%

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

$620 CA$862

$877 CA$1,220

-29.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$15.8K CA$22.0K

-63.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$53.2 CA$74.0

17.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$27.81 CA$38.67

59.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$69.3 CA$96.4

45.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$70.0 CA$97.3

70.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$815 CA$1,134

48.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$730 CA$1,016

31.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$1,406 CA$1,955

44.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$1,201 CA$1,670

32.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$1,371 CA$1,907

277.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$1,972 CA$2,742

99.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$2,997 CA$4,168

-1.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.71

-12.26%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medicine Hat: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal versus $815 in Medicine Hat. 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 1% higher in Medicine Hat, 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $71.0 in Medicine Hat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $319 – making Medicine Hat 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 Medicine Hat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 10% more than Medicine Hat, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,094 per month in Montreal and $2,805 in Medicine Hat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medicine Hat, 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 $2,063 in Montreal and $1,870 in Medicine Hat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Medicine Hat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Medicine Hat, where all-in costs run around $1,870, than in Montreal at $2,063. In Medicine Hat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medicine Hat costs $1,870 versus $2,063 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Medicine Hat. 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.