Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Northampton, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,064 a month against $2,841 in Northampton, MA, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Northampton, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Northampton, MA
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Northampton, MA Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,064

/mo nomad

Northampton, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,841

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Northampton, MA

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 Northampton, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,064 per month in Montreal vs $2,841 in Northampton, MA, rent included.

Montreal $2,064
Northampton, MA $2,841

A couple spends around $3,156 per month in Montreal vs $4,134 in Northampton, MA, rent included.

Montreal $3,156
Northampton, MA $4,134

A family of three spends $4,247 per month in Montreal vs $5,427 in Northampton, MA, rent included.

Montreal $4,247
Northampton, MA $5,427

Montreal is about 27% cheaper than Northampton, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Montreal and Northampton, MA sit above the global median – Montreal by 52%, Northampton, MA by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.98 CA$26.64

$17.78 $17.78

6.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$102

$79.1 $79.1

-7.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.27

$10.69 $10.69

1.78%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.35

$4.60 $4.60

-17.17%

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

$1.94 CA$2.72

$2.80 $2.80

-30.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.22

$2.27 $2.27

-30.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.37 CA$8.94

$5.10 $5.10

24.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 CA$10.20

$7.83 $7.83

-7.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$1.08 $1.08

106.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$4.05 $4.05

-21.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.64

$5.44 $5.44

-39.15%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.09

$4.77 $4.77

-23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 CA$18.47

$11.23 $11.23

17.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.22

$6.73 $6.73

71.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 CA$19.25

$17.52 $17.52

-21.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.62

$5.88 $5.88

-44.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CA$2.05

$1.60 $1.60

-8.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.73

$4.43 $4.43

-23.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.42

$5.41 $5.41

-41.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.65

$3.22 $3.22

-41.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.52

$3.79 $3.79

-52.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$3.06 $3.06

-19.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.28 CA$15.84

$13.80 $13.80

-18.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 CA$14.73

$13.27 $13.27

-20.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.28

$1.83 $1.83

27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$2.01 $2.01

44.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$111

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.57

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.43 CA$46.92

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$0.86 $0.86

54.65%

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

$28.6K CA$40.2K

$27.5K $27.5K

4.03%

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

$21.1K CA$29.6K

$25.4K $25.4K

-16.83%

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

$80.1 CA$112

$131 $131

-38.93%

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

$34.30 CA$48.14

$62.0 $62.0

-44.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.85 CA$60.1

$72.5 $72.5

-40.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.14 CA$43.71

$51.6 $51.6

-39.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.41 CA$27.24

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 CA$15.76

$14.45 $14.45

-22.28%

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

$525 CA$737

$1,815 $1,815

-71.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.9K

$29.5K $29.5K

-44.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 CA$81.4

$23.49 $23.49

146.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 CA$53.5

$38.76 $38.76

-1.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 CA$131

$79.2 $79.2

17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$101 $101

8.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 CA$1,803

$2,048 $2,048

-37.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,371

$1,730 $1,730

-43.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,187

$2,608 $2,608

-12.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,336

$2,862 $2,862

-41.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,139 CA$7,212

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,834 CA$5,381

$2,821 $2,821

35.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,002 CA$4,213

$3,930 $3,930

-23.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.64

-32.53%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 25, 2026

Last update for Northampton, MA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$977 47.3%

Northampton, MA

$1.7K 60.9% 77.1% $753

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$351 17%

Northampton, MA

$365 * 12.8% 3.9% $14

Eating Out

Montreal

$291 14.1%

Northampton, MA

$291 10.2% 0.1% $0.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$157 7.6%

Northampton, MA

$266 9.4% 69% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$135 6.5%

Northampton, MA

$109 3.8% 19% $26

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.9%

Northampton, MA

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$54 2.6%

Northampton, MA

$81 2.8% 50.2% $27

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,285 in Montreal versus $2,048 in Northampton, MA. 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 31% higher in Northampton, MA, 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 in Montreal versus $79 in Northampton, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $365 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Northampton, MA

🕒 Local time

18:13 6:13 PM

Same time as Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

28,549

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.64 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Montreal Northampton, MA 360 km

From you

Montreal
Northampton, MA

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 Northampton, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Northampton, MA costs about 38% 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 $3,096 per month in Montreal and $4,262 in Northampton, MA. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,285 there versus $2,048 in Northampton, MA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Montreal and $79 in Northampton, MA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Northampton, MA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,064 in Montreal and $2,841 in Northampton, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Montreal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Northampton, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.