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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $2,445 in Ottawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $3,628 in Ottawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $4,812 in Ottawa, rent included.

Montreal is about 16% cheaper than Ottawa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Montreal and Ottawa sit above the global median – Montreal by 50%, Ottawa by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.70

$19.57 CA$27.08

-8.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$76.1 CA$105

-4.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$10.94 CA$15.13

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$3.99 CA$5.52

-0.50%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$2.06 CA$2.85

0.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.76 CA$2.44

-11.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$5.75 CA$7.96

11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.09

$6.31 CA$8.73

15.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$2.26 CA$3.13

5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$3.03 CA$4.20

5.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$3.29 CA$4.55

-6.69%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$3.41 CA$4.72

7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.78

$10.98 CA$15.19

23.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.09

$11.34 CA$15.69

2.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.33

$17.69 CA$24.47

-21.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$3.78 CA$5.23

-2.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.37 CA$1.90

13.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$3.88 CA$5.36

-12.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$3.79 CA$5.25

-20.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.73 CA$3.78

-27.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.42 CA$3.34

-24.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.70 CA$3.73

-5.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.58 CA$2.19

-12.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$14.58 CA$20.18

-21.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$12.15 CA$16.81

-10.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.77 CA$3.84

-18.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$3.62 CA$5.02

-16.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$2.95 CA$4.09

-8.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$97.3 CA$135

-22.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$2.76 CA$3.82

21.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.55 CA$2.14

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.63

$19.22 CA$26.59

75.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.20 CA$1.66

7.50%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$29.0K CA$40.1K

-2.51%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$22.2K CA$30.7K

-9.98%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$141 CA$195

-42.92%

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

$34.23 CA$47.37

$37.17 CA$51.4

-7.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$51.5 CA$71.3

-19.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.46

$46.10 CA$63.8

-36.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.52

$28.94 CA$40.05

-31.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.20

$12.91 CA$17.86

-9.30%

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

$564 CA$781

$959 CA$1,327

-41.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$16.4K CA$22.7K

2.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.3

$62.9 CA$87.1

-5.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$38.84 CA$53.7

8.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$107 CA$149

-0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$101 CA$139

10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,776

$1,501 CA$2,077

-14.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,370

$1,258 CA$1,741

-21.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,127

$2,326 CA$3,218

-2.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,307

$1,916 CA$2,652

-13.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,316

$4,418 CA$6,113

19.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,276

$4,702 CA$6,507

-18.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,177

$3,760 CA$5,203

-19.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.17

5.76%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ottawa: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,501 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 25% 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 $72.0 in Montreal versus $76.0 in Ottawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $372 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 19% 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 $3,084 per month in Montreal and $3,667 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.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Ottawa, 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 $76.0 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 $2,056, than in Ottawa at $2,445. 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 $2,056 versus $2,445 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.