Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Pickering, ON Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Pickering, ON

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,088 per month in Montreal vs $2,803 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Montreal vs $3,807 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,157 per month in Montreal vs $4,812 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

Montreal is about 26% cheaper than Pickering, ON, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Montreal and Pickering, ON sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Pickering, ON by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.89 CA$21.77

$18.54 CA$25.39

-14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 CA$102

$71.5 CA$98.0

4.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.83

$10.95 CA$15.00

-1.10%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.21

$2.38 CA$3.26

59.66%

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

$2.10 CA$2.88

$1.63 CA$2.23

28.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.08

$1.45 CA$1.98

4.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 CA$8.34

$4.89 CA$6.71

24.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$8.88

$4.87 CA$6.67

33.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.18

$2.17 CA$2.97

6.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CA$4.47

$2.22 CA$3.04

46.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.19

$4.49 CA$6.15

-15.59%

Eggs

$3.46 CA$4.73

$3.37 CA$4.61

2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.07 CA$22.02

$11.09 CA$15.19

44.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.14

$15.66 CA$21.45

-24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 CA$20.73

$14.97 CA$20.51

1.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$4.00 CA$5.48

-6.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.01 CA$1.38

69.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.37

$4.19 CA$5.74

-6.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.87

$4.96 CA$6.80

-13.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$2.92 CA$4.00

-6.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.62

$3.52 CA$4.82

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.13

$2.66 CA$3.64

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.12 CA$1.54

52.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.39 CA$18.35

$8.66 CA$11.86

54.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 CA$15.00

$13.19 CA$18.07

-16.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$2.57 CA$3.53

16.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$4.94

$3.03 CA$4.16

18.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.86

$2.83 CA$3.88

-0.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 CA$103

$63.4 CA$86.8

18.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.82

$2.86 CA$3.91

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.00

$1.22 CA$1.67

19.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$46.97

$22.82 CA$31.26

50.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.63

$1.08 CA$1.48

10.19%

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

$25.1K CA$34.3K

$24.5K CA$33.6K

2.17%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$22.5K CA$30.8K

-2.58%

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

$74.7 CA$102

$167 CA$229

-55.29%

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

$35.83 CA$49.09

$36.22 CA$49.62

-1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.53 CA$59.6

$66.7 CA$91.3

-34.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.06 CA$59.0

$63.5 CA$87.0

-32.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 CA$23.15

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 CA$15.21

$11.61 CA$15.91

-4.39%

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

$609 CA$834

$758 CA$1,039

-19.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,925 CA$8,117

$11.9K CA$16.3K

-50.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 CA$86.0

$76.9 CA$105

-18.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.85 CA$61.5

$54.3 CA$74.4

-17.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$138

$74.5 CA$102

35.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$162

$85.6 CA$117

38.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 CA$1,673

$1,687 CA$2,311

-27.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 CA$1,308

$1,586 CA$2,173

-39.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,105 CA$2,883

$2,193 CA$3,005

-4.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 CA$2,192

$2,118 CA$2,902

-24.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,308 CA$7,272

$6,682 CA$9,154

-20.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,045 CA$5,542

$5,273 CA$7,224

-23.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,031 CA$4,152

$3,064 CA$4,198

-1.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.57

-23.74%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pickering, ON: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,221 in Montreal versus $1,687 in Pickering, ON. 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 1% higher in Pickering, ON, 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 $75.0 in Montreal versus $72.0 in Pickering, ON. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $391 vs $385 – making Pickering, ON 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 Pickering, ON: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pickering, ON costs about 34% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,132 per month in Montreal and $4,205 in Pickering, ON. 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 2% cheaper in Pickering, ON – 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 $75.0 in Montreal and $72.0 in Pickering, ON. 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 $2,088, than in Pickering, ON at $2,803. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pickering, ON it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,088 versus $2,803 in Pickering, ON. 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, Pickering, ON makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.