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: $2,063 in Montreal versus $3,044 in Milton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $4,159 in Milton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $5,275 in Milton.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 32% less than in Milton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Milton 127% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.05

$14.65 CA$20.29

8.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$101

$72.4 CA$100

0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.43

$12.96 CA$17.95

-13.97%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.26

$3.86 CA$5.34

-1.55%

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

$2.18 CA$3.01

$3.23 CA$4.48

-32.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.50 CA$3.46

-41.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.48

$8.00 CA$11.08

-23.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.38

$5.40 CA$7.48

25.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.22

$2.50 CA$3.47

-6.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.69

$2.61 CA$3.61

29.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.16

$4.55 CA$6.30

-18.02%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.68

$3.47 CA$4.81

-2.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.50

$6.61 CA$9.15

145.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$15.98

$29.96 CA$41.49

-61.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.10

$19.04 CA$26.37

-19.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$5.60 CA$7.76

-33.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$1.57 CA$2.18

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.68

$2.91 CA$4.03

41.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.02

$3.29 CA$4.56

32.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$1.04 CA$1.44

160.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$1.26 CA$1.74

107.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$1.65 CA$2.29

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$2.27 CA$3.15

-23.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.43

$12.57 CA$17.40

5.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$14.93

$13.56 CA$18.77

-20.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.17

$2.26 CA$3.12

33.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.80

$2.70 CA$3.74

28.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.93 CA$4.06

-6.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$45.77 CA$63.4

58.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$3.13 CA$4.34

15.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.45 CA$2.01

0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.30

$37.15 CA$51.4

-9.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.09 CA$1.51

11.01%

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

$24.6K CA$34.1K

$24.8K CA$34.4K

-0.71%

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

$21.7K CA$30.0K

$24.2K CA$33.5K

-10.48%

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

$76.0 CA$105

$247 CA$341

-69.17%

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

$35.72 CA$49.46

$60.4 CA$83.6

-40.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.4

$67.7 CA$93.8

-36.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.4

$33.36 CA$46.19

28.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.35

$16.87 CA$23.35

-34.26%

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

$620 CA$858

$556 CA$770

11.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,078

$11.8K CA$16.3K

-50.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$57.5 CA$79.6

8.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.5

$53.7 CA$74.3

-17.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$139

$95.0 CA$132

6.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$129 CA$179

-7.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,677

$1,783 CA$2,469

-32.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,329

$1,672 CA$2,315

-42.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,818

$2,588 CA$3,583

-21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,201

$2,288 CA$3,168

-30.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,173

$4,840 CA$6,701

7.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,446

$4,220 CA$5,843

-6.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,098

$3,162 CA$4,378

-6.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.8

-26.32%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Milton: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $1,783 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: $73.0 in Montreal vs $72.0 in Milton. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $459, 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 48% in total monthly costs ($2,063 vs $3,044 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Milton earns 7% 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: $1,211 in Montreal versus $1,783 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 59% less than in Milton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $620 in Montreal versus $556 in Milton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $3,044 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 48% less than in Milton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.