Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Owen Sound Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Owen Sound

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,040 in Owen Sound, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $3,175 in Owen Sound, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $4,309 in Owen Sound, rent included.

Montreal costs about 2% more than Owen Sound, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Montreal and Owen Sound sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Owen Sound by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$15.01 CA$21.12

10.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$55.9 CA$78.6

32.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$10.11 CA$14.22

8.21%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.23 CA$4.54

18.89%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$2.03 CA$2.86

5.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.67 CA$2.35

-13.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$4.38 CA$6.17

39.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$5.81 CA$8.17

15.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$1.78 CA$2.51

32.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.91 CA$4.09

14.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$4.50 CA$6.33

-16.89%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$3.40 CA$4.78

-0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$6.83 CA$9.61

138.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$17.06 CA$24.01

-30.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$21.28 CA$29.94

-26.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$4.07 CA$5.72

-9.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.82 CA$2.55

-6.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$2.91 CA$4.09

41.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$4.13 CA$5.82

6.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.51 CA$3.53

11.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$3.06 CA$4.30

-13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$3.09 CA$4.35

-25.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$1.34 CA$1.88

32.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$13.53 CA$19.03

-2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$16.23 CA$22.84

-34.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$5.07 CA$7.13

-41.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$2.32 CA$3.26

48.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$2.22 CA$3.13

26.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$51.0 CA$71.8

42.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$4.67 CA$6.57

-24.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$2.10 CA$2.95

-30.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$14.59 CA$20.53

135.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.13 CA$1.60

7.96%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$28.5K CA$40.2K

-11.51%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$22.3K CA$31.4K

-0.84%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$142 CA$199

-45.95%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$42.95 CA$60.4

-17.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$59.0 CA$83.0

-27.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$83.7 CA$118

-48.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$58.0 CA$81.6

-70.97%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$9.09 CA$12.79

22.00%

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

$625 CA$879

$574 CA$807

8.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$18.2K CA$25.6K

-67.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$43.22 CA$60.8

46.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$40.61 CA$57.1

9.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$81.1 CA$114

26.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$110 CA$155

7.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$1,091 CA$1,535

10.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$872 CA$1,227

10.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$1,678 CA$2,361

21.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,555 CA$2,188

1.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$2,949 CA$4,150

-2.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.83

-26.65%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Owen Sound: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,091 in Owen Sound. 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 2% higher in Owen Sound, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal versus $56.0 in Owen Sound. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Montreal vs $416 in Owen Sound – 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 Owen Sound: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 2% more than Owen Sound, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. 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 $3,060 in Owen Sound. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Montreal – 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 $56.0 in Owen Sound. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Owen Sound, where all-in costs run around $2,040, than in Montreal at $2,085. In Owen Sound it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Owen Sound costs $2,040 versus $2,085 in Montreal. 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 Owen Sound. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.