Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Normal, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $2,269 in Normal, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
111

Cost of Living Index in Normal, IL
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Normal, IL Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Normal, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,269

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Normal, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montreal and in Normal, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,059 per month in Montreal vs $2,269 in Normal, IL, rent included.

Montreal $2,059
Normal, IL $2,269

A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Montreal vs $3,356 in Normal, IL, rent included.

Montreal $3,123
Normal, IL $3,356

A family of three spends $4,187 per month in Montreal vs $4,443 in Normal, IL, rent included.

Montreal $4,187
Normal, IL $4,443

Montreal is about 9% cheaper than Normal, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Montreal and Normal, IL sit above the global median – Montreal by 52%, Normal, IL by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.84 CA$26.63

$11.29 $11.29

66.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 CA$104

$50.5 $50.5

45.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.90

$9.82 $9.82

7.33%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.61

$5.14 $5.14

-22.76%

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

$1.94 CA$2.74

$3.40 $3.40

-42.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.22

$1.58 $1.58

-0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.42 CA$9.08

$5.27 $5.27

21.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.19

$6.08 $6.08

18.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.28

$0.80 $0.80

190.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 CA$4.51

$2.63 $2.63

21.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.50

$3.22 $3.22

-0.93%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.20

$3.84 $3.84

-4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 CA$18.72

$8.95 $8.95

47.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 CA$16.53

$12.56 $12.56

-6.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 CA$19.76

$18.70 $18.70

-25.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$6.55 $6.55

-52.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.23 $1.23

17.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.78

$6.54 $6.54

-48.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.40

$5.11 $5.11

-39.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.72

$3.39 $3.39

-43.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.58

$3.23 $3.23

-43.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.34

$2.05 $2.05

15.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$2.31 $2.31

-35.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CA$15.73

$11.32 $11.32

-1.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.98

$10.96 $10.96

-3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.14

$1.83 $1.83

21.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$4.01

$3.02 $3.02

-5.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.71

$2.57 $2.57

1.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$112

$93.0 $93.0

-14.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.56

$5.86 $5.86

-44.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.10

$1.09 $1.09

35.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.22 CA$45.55

$18.21 $18.21

76.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$0.91 $0.91

49.45%

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

$27.6K CA$39.1K

$27.4K $27.4K

0.95%

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

$21.2K CA$30.0K

$26.5K $26.5K

-20.18%

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

$77.0 CA$109

$274 $274

-71.88%

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

$34.14 CA$48.26

$97.9 $97.9

-65.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.19 CA$59.7

$64.5 $64.5

-34.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.81 CA$43.56

$39.78 $39.78

-22.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 CA$27.79

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 CA$16.22

$11.80 $11.80

-2.80%

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

$506 CA$716

$1,055 $1,055

-52.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K CA$23.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$81.0

$30.33 $30.33

88.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 CA$53.9

$39.25 $39.25

-2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$68.4 $68.4

34.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$153 $153

-28.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,748

$994 $994

24.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,381

$895 $895

9.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 CA$3,082

$1,761 $1,761

23.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 CA$2,273

$1,624 $1,624

-1.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,113 CA$7,228

$9,700 $9,700

-47.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,744 CA$5,293

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,957 CA$4,180

$4,253 $4,253

-30.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.55

-31.60%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Last update for Normal, IL: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$977 47.4%

Normal, IL

$895 39.4% 8.4% $82

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$351 17.1%

Normal, IL

$390 17.2% 11.1% $39

Eating Out

Montreal

$290 14.1%

Normal, IL

$240 10.6% 17.4% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$153 7.5%

Normal, IL

$436 19.2% 185% $283

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$134 6.5%

Normal, IL

$131 5.8% 2.1% $2.8

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.9%

Normal, IL

$115 5.1% 14.2% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$54 2.6%

Normal, IL

$63 2.8% 17.9% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,237 in Montreal versus $994 in Normal, IL. 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 44% higher in Normal, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal versus $50.0 in Normal, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Montreal vs $390 in Normal, IL – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Normal, IL

🕒 Local time

00:31 12:31 AM

23:31 11:31 PM

1 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

52,497

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montreal Normal, IL 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Normal, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Normal, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Normal, IL costs about 10% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,089 per month in Montreal and $3,404 in Normal, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Normal, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal and $50.0 in Normal, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,059, than in Normal, IL at $2,269. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Normal, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,059 versus $2,269 in Normal, IL. 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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Normal, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.