Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Oakville Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Oakville

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $2,695 in Oakville, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $3,902 in Oakville, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $5,108 in Oakville, rent included.

Montreal is about 24% cheaper than Oakville, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Montreal and Oakville sit above the global median – Montreal by 50%, Oakville by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.70

$14.50 CA$20.07

23.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$69.6 CA$96.2

3.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$9.36 CA$12.95

16.67%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$3.76 CA$5.20

5.59%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$2.00 CA$2.77

3.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.60 CA$2.22

-3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$5.88 CA$8.14

9.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.09

$6.57 CA$9.08

10.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$2.70 CA$3.73

-11.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$2.98 CA$4.13

7.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$3.56 CA$4.92

-13.76%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$4.24 CA$5.87

-13.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.78

$9.34 CA$12.93

45.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.09

$10.57 CA$14.63

10.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.33

$14.00 CA$19.37

-0.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$3.57 CA$4.94

3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.83 CA$2.53

-14.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$3.61 CA$4.99

-5.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$2.91 CA$4.03

4.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.53 CA$3.50

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$3.23 CA$4.47

-43.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.21 CA$3.05

15.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.69 CA$2.34

-17.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$14.73 CA$20.38

-22.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$12.93 CA$17.89

-15.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$3.19 CA$4.42

-29.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$2.68 CA$3.70

12.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$2.81 CA$3.88

-4.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$102 CA$141

-25.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.63

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.10 CA$1.52

17.27%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$28.2K CA$39.0K

0.36%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$19.0K CA$26.2K

5.27%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$101 CA$139

-20.06%

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

$34.23 CA$47.37

$29.96 CA$41.46

14.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$49.25 CA$68.2

-15.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.46

$42.83 CA$59.3

-31.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.52

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.20

$9.34 CA$12.92

25.37%

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

$564 CA$781

$1,044 CA$1,445

-45.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$17.5K CA$24.2K

-3.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.3

$71.9 CA$99.5

-17.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$88.7 CA$123

-52.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$115 CA$159

-6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$107 CA$148

3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,776

$1,733 CA$2,397

-25.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,370

$1,587 CA$2,196

-37.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,127

$2,647 CA$3,662

-14.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,307

$2,459 CA$3,402

-32.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,316

$4,241 CA$5,869

24.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,276

$7,324 CA$10.1K

-47.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,177

$3,231 CA$4,470

-6.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

5.39

-18.18%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Oakville: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,733 in Oakville. 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 7% higher in Oakville, 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 $72.0 in Montreal versus $70.0 in Oakville. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Montreal vs $359 in Oakville – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Oakville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oakville costs about 31% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,084 per month in Montreal and $4,043 in Oakville. 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 1% more in Oakville, 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 $72.0 in Montreal and $70.0 in Oakville. 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 $2,056, than in Oakville at $2,695. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oakville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,056 versus $2,695 in Oakville. 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, Oakville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.