Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Picton

For one person, living is cheaper in Picton: $1,020 a month against $2,064 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal, Canada
Picton, Canada
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,064
/mo nomad
Picton
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,020
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Picton

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montreal and in Picton actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,064 per month in Montreal vs $1,020 in Picton, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,064
  • Picton $1,020

A couple spends around $3,156 per month in Montreal vs $1,686 in Picton, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,156
  • Picton $1,686

A family of three spends $4,247 per month in Montreal vs $2,353 in Picton, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,247
  • Picton $2,353

Montreal costs about 102% more than Picton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Montreal sits 52% above the global median, while Picton is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Picton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.98 CA$26.64
$17.64 CA$24.76
7.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.0 CA$102
$71.0 CA$99.6
2.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.88 CA$15.27
$9.88 CA$13.86
10.12%
Cappuccino
$3.81 CA$5.35
$3.49 CA$4.90
9.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.72
$2.06 CA$2.89
-5.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.22
$1.68 CA$2.36
-5.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.37 CA$8.94
$5.67 CA$7.96
12.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.26 CA$10.20
$5.77 CA$8.10
25.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Picton
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 CA$3.13
$1.67 CA$2.35
33.53%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 CA$4.45
$1.99 CA$2.80
59.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.31 CA$4.64
$2.27 CA$3.19
45.81%
Eggs
$3.63 CA$5.09
$2.92 CA$4.10
24.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.16 CA$18.47
$9.14 CA$12.82
43.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.56 CA$16.22
$11.72 CA$16.45
-1.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.71 CA$19.25
$14.94 CA$20.96
-8.23%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 CA$4.62
$2.73 CA$3.84
20.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 CA$2.05
$1.19 CA$1.67
22.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.37 CA$4.73
$3.47 CA$4.87
-2.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.15 CA$4.42
$4.01 CA$5.63
-21.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 CA$2.65
$1.83 CA$2.56
3.28%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.52
$1.67 CA$2.34
7.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.47 CA$3.47
$2.31 CA$3.25
6.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.22
$1.20 CA$1.69
31.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.28 CA$15.84
$13.71 CA$19.24
-17.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.49 CA$14.73
$13.97 CA$19.60
-24.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 CA$3.28
$2.10 CA$2.94
11.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 CA$4.09
$2.44 CA$3.43
19.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Picton
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 CA$3.66
$2.19 CA$3.08
19.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.1 CA$111
$19.77 CA$27.74
300.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 CA$4.57
$2.96 CA$4.15
10.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 CA$2.02
$1.28 CA$1.79
12.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.43 CA$46.92
$21.77 CA$30.56
53.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 CA$1.87
$1.13 CA$1.58
17.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K CA$40.2K
$26.1K CA$36.6K
9.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.6K
$21.6K CA$30.3K
-2.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Picton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.1 CA$112
$125 CA$176
-36.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.30 CA$48.14
$28.11 CA$39.45
22.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.85 CA$60.1
$49.12 CA$68.9
-12.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Picton
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.14 CA$43.71
$42.10 CA$59.1
-26.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.41 CA$27.24
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 CA$15.76
$8.80 CA$12.34
27.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Picton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$525 CA$737
$283 CA$397
85.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K CA$22.9K
$23.6K CA$33.1K
-30.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Picton
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0 CA$81.4
$49.98 CA$70.2
16.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.11 CA$53.5
$35.89 CA$50.4
6.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$131
$85.1 CA$119
9.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$155
$126 CA$176
-12.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Picton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,285 CA$1,803
$1,025 CA$1,439
25.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$977 CA$1,371
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,271 CA$3,187
$1,642 CA$2,304
38.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,665 CA$2,336
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,139 CA$7,212
$3,772 CA$5,294
36.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,834 CA$5,381
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Picton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,002 CA$4,213
$3,151 CA$4,422
-4.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.45
0.67%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 25, 2026

Last update for Picton: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$977
Picton
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$351
Picton
$319 9.2% $32
Eating Out
Montreal
$291
Picton
$268 8% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$157
Picton
$202 28.7% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$135
Picton
$133 1% $1.4
Getting Around
Montreal
$100
Picton
$38 62.1% $62
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$54
Picton
$60 11.4% $6.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,285 in Montreal versus $1,025 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 5% 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 $73 in Montreal versus $71 in Picton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $319 – making Picton the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇨🇦 Picton
🕒 Local time
19:48 7:48 PM
19:48 7:48 PM
Same time as Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
4,702
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Picton 330 km
From you
  • Montreal
  • Picton

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or Picton?
Montreal costs about 102% more than Picton, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Montreal and in Picton?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,096 per month in Montreal and $1,530 in Picton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montreal or Picton?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Picton, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,025 there versus $1,285 in Montreal.
Are groceries more expensive in Montreal or in Picton?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Montreal, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Montreal and in Picton?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Montreal and $71 in Picton. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Montreal or in Picton?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Picton, where all-in costs run around $1,020, than in Montreal at $2,064. In Picton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Picton – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Montreal compared to Picton?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Picton is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 51% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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