Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Milton Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Milton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,108 in Montreal versus $2,763 in Milton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,226 in Montreal versus $3,925 in Milton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,344 in Montreal versus $5,086 in Milton.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 24% less than in Milton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 53% above, Milton 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.72

$14.44 CA$20.02

23.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$73.0 CA$101

0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.00

$8.94 CA$12.40

20.92%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.44

$3.72 CA$5.16

5.38%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$3.10 CA$4.29

-34.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$2.30 CA$3.19

-33.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 CA$9.13

$4.76 CA$6.61

38.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CA$9.90

$6.33 CA$8.78

12.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.08 CA$2.88

13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$2.30 CA$3.19

40.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.62 CA$3.64

12.60%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.12

$3.21 CA$4.46

14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.93

$8.95 CA$12.42

52.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.56

$22.58 CA$31.32

-47.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.52

$23.56 CA$32.67

-40.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$5.17 CA$7.17

-30.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.16 CA$1.61

33.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$2.88 CA$3.99

14.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$4.03 CA$5.59

-23.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$2.40 CA$3.33

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$2.18 CA$3.02

-12.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.24 CA$3.11

17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.97 CA$2.74

-29.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CA$16.36

$11.41 CA$15.82

3.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 CA$14.98

$13.98 CA$19.38

-22.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$2.07 CA$2.87

14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$2.81 CA$3.90

3.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.91 CA$4.04

-5.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 CA$107

$57.0 CA$79.0

35.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$3.30 CA$4.57

0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.52 CA$2.11

-3.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.98 CA$45.74

$28.67 CA$39.76

15.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$1.07 CA$1.48

22.43%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$24.2K CA$33.6K

18.56%

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

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$19.2K CA$26.6K

6.43%

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

$79.9 CA$111

$232 CA$322

-65.64%

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

$34.79 CA$48.25

$52.9 CA$73.3

-34.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.55 CA$59.0

$66.6 CA$92.4

-36.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.49

$48.76 CA$67.6

-40.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

$21.18 CA$29.38

-4.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 CA$15.92

$14.69 CA$20.38

-21.85%

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

$565 CA$784

$421 CA$583

34.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$11.1K CA$15.3K

50.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.5

$71.0 CA$98.4

-15.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 CA$58.1

$47.26 CA$65.5

-11.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$92.0 CA$128

13.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$142 CA$197

-20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,795

$1,524 CA$2,113

-15.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CA$1,406

$1,432 CA$1,986

-29.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,149

$2,565 CA$3,557

-11.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,334

$2,088 CA$2,896

-19.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,150

$4,846 CA$6,721

6.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

$4,285 CA$5,943

-10.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,205

$3,242 CA$4,496

-6.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

5.69

-21.97%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Last update for Milton: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,294 in Montreal and $1,524 in Milton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milton pays 7% 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: $74.0 in Montreal vs $73.0 in Milton. Groceries flip the comparison at $358 vs $430, with Montreal 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 Milton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Milton differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($2,108 vs $2,763 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Milton. 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: $1,294 in Montreal versus $1,524 in Milton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 35% less than in Milton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $565 in Montreal versus $421 in Milton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,108 in Montreal versus $2,763 in Milton, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Milton. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Milton 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 31% less than in Milton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.