Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Picton Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Picton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,108 per month in Montreal vs $1,047 in Picton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,226 per month in Montreal vs $1,731 in Picton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,344 per month in Montreal vs $2,415 in Picton, rent included.

Montreal costs about 101% more than Picton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Montreal sits 53% above the global median, while Picton is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.73

$18.34 CA$25.44

-2.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$70.5 CA$97.8

4.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.00

$7.32 CA$10.15

47.68%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.44

$3.60 CA$4.99

8.89%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$2.17 CA$3.01

-5.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.70 CA$2.36

-10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 CA$9.14

$5.64 CA$7.82

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CA$9.90

$5.87 CA$8.14

21.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$1.72 CA$2.39

37.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$2.12 CA$2.94

52.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.53 CA$3.50

16.60%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.12

$2.95 CA$4.09

25.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.93

$10.09 CA$13.99

35.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.56

$12.21 CA$16.94

-2.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.52

$15.82 CA$21.94

-11.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$2.80 CA$3.89

28.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.27 CA$1.76

22.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$3.76 CA$5.21

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$4.22 CA$5.85

-27.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.85 CA$2.57

8.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$1.48 CA$2.06

28.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.36 CA$3.27

11.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.25 CA$1.73

11.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CA$16.36

$14.30 CA$19.83

-17.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 CA$14.98

$14.55 CA$20.18

-25.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$2.22 CA$3.08

6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$2.55 CA$3.54

13.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.14 CA$2.97

28.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 CA$107

$19.66 CA$27.26

292.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$3.03 CA$4.21

9.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.31 CA$1.81

11.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.98 CA$45.74

$22.32 CA$30.96

47.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$1.09 CA$1.51

20.18%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$27.2K CA$37.7K

5.80%

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

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$21.2K CA$29.4K

-3.55%

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

$79.9 CA$111

$128 CA$177

-37.41%

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

$34.79 CA$48.25

$29.09 CA$40.35

19.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.55 CA$59.0

$48.34 CA$67.1

-11.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.50

$43.58 CA$60.5

-33.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 CA$15.93

$8.67 CA$12.02

32.41%

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

$565 CA$784

$291 CA$404

94.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

-33.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.5

$51.3 CA$71.2

17.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 CA$58.1

$35.98 CA$49.90

16.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$88.6 CA$123

17.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$122 CA$169

-7.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,795

$1,026 CA$1,422

26.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CA$1,407

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,149

$1,696 CA$2,352

33.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,334

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,151

$3,866 CA$5,362

33.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,205

$3,230 CA$4,480

-6.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.47

-0.67%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Last update for Picton: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,294 in Montreal versus $1,026 in Picton. 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 Picton, 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 $71.0 in Picton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $335 – making Picton 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 Picton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 101% more than Picton, 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 $3,163 per month in Montreal and $1,571 in Picton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 7% more in Montreal, 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 $74.0 in Montreal and $71.0 in Picton. 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 Picton, where all-in costs run around $1,047, than in Montreal at $2,108. In Picton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Picton costs $1,047 versus $2,108 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 Picton. 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.