Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Ottawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Ottawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,463 in Ottawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $3,588 in Ottawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $4,713 in Ottawa, rent included.

Montreal is about 15% cheaper than Ottawa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Montreal and Ottawa sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Ottawa by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$18.61 CA$26.19

-11.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$74.2 CA$104

-0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$11.48 CA$16.15

-4.70%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$4.01 CA$5.64

-4.24%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$2.16 CA$3.04

-0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.65 CA$2.32

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$5.91 CA$8.32

3.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$6.58 CA$9.26

2.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.40 CA$3.37

-2.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.77 CA$3.90

20.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$3.30 CA$4.65

13.33%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$3.67 CA$5.17

-7.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$11.37 CA$16.00

43.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$13.14 CA$18.50

-10.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$15.66 CA$22.03

-0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$4.39 CA$6.17

-15.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.36 CA$1.91

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.50 CA$4.92

17.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$3.68 CA$5.18

19.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.58 CA$3.63

8.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$3.17 CA$4.46

-16.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$2.27 CA$3.19

0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$1.50 CA$2.11

18.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$13.92 CA$19.58

-5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$10.70 CA$15.06

-0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$2.39 CA$3.37

25.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$3.09 CA$4.34

11.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$2.98 CA$4.20

-5.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$99.1 CA$139

-26.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$2.81 CA$3.96

25.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.46 CA$2.05

-0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$19.69 CA$27.71

74.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.16 CA$1.63

5.17%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$25.0K CA$35.2K

0.87%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$22.3K CA$31.4K

-0.88%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$158 CA$222

-51.59%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$43.32 CA$61.0

-17.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$52.3 CA$73.6

-17.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$47.95 CA$67.5

-9.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$16.06 CA$22.60

4.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$11.21 CA$15.78

-1.07%

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

$625 CA$879

$891 CA$1,253

-29.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$15.9K CA$22.4K

-63.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$55.0 CA$77.4

14.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$41.03 CA$57.7

8.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$90.6 CA$127

13.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$95.3 CA$134

24.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$1,481 CA$2,084

-18.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$1,259 CA$1,771

-23.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$2,326 CA$3,272

-12.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,936 CA$2,725

-18.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$4,441 CA$6,249

14.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

$4,678 CA$6,583

-19.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$3,546 CA$4,990

-18.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.48

-8.58%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ottawa: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,481 in Ottawa. 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 23% higher in Ottawa, 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $74.0 in Ottawa. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Montreal vs $370 in Ottawa – so Ottawa 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 Ottawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ottawa costs about 18% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,127 per month in Montreal and $3,694 in Ottawa. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Ottawa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal and $74.0 in Ottawa. 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 $2,085, than in Ottawa at $2,463. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ottawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,463 in Ottawa. 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, Ottawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.