Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Richmond, Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,064 a month against $2,459 in Richmond, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Richmond outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Montreal, Canada
Richmond, Canada
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,064
/mo nomad
Richmond
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,459
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Richmond

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 Richmond actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,064 per month in Montreal vs $2,459 in Richmond, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,064
  • Richmond $2,459

A couple spends around $3,156 per month in Montreal vs $3,502 in Richmond, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,156
  • Richmond $3,502

A family of three spends $4,247 per month in Montreal vs $4,545 in Richmond, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,247
  • Richmond $4,545

Montreal is about 16% cheaper than Richmond.

Both Montreal and Richmond sit above the global median – Montreal by 52%, Richmond by 81%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Richmond
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.98 CA$26.52
$16.21 CA$22.64
17.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.0 CA$102
$71.6 CA$100
1.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.88 CA$15.20
$9.08 CA$12.69
19.82%
Cappuccino
$3.81 CA$5.33
$4.22 CA$5.89
-9.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.71
$2.04 CA$2.85
-4.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.21
$1.54 CA$2.15
2.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.37 CA$8.90
$5.42 CA$7.57
17.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.26 CA$10.15
$5.56 CA$7.77
30.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Richmond
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 CA$3.11
$2.20 CA$3.07
1.36%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 CA$4.43
$2.16 CA$3.01
46.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.31 CA$4.62
$2.36 CA$3.29
40.25%
Eggs
$3.63 CA$5.07
$3.15 CA$4.40
15.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.16 CA$18.38
$8.84 CA$12.35
48.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.56 CA$16.15
$10.81 CA$15.10
6.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.71 CA$19.16
$9.74 CA$13.61
40.76%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 CA$4.60
$2.65 CA$3.70
24.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 CA$2.04
$1.29 CA$1.81
13.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.37 CA$4.70
$2.63 CA$3.68
28.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.15 CA$4.40
$3.63 CA$5.07
-13.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 CA$2.64
$2.10 CA$2.93
-10.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.50
$1.80 CA$2.51
-0.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.47 CA$3.45
$2.03 CA$2.84
21.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.21
$1.22 CA$1.70
29.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.28 CA$15.77
$14.39 CA$20.10
-21.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.49 CA$14.66
$12.73 CA$17.79
-17.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 CA$3.26
$2.18 CA$3.05
7.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 CA$4.07
$2.18 CA$3.05
33.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Richmond
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 CA$3.65
$2.17 CA$3.03
20.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.1 CA$111
$79.5 CA$111
-0.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 CA$4.55
$2.98 CA$4.16
9.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 CA$2.01
$1.39 CA$1.95
3.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.43 CA$46.71
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 CA$1.86
$1.34 CA$1.87
-0.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K CA$40.0K
$26.7K CA$37.3K
7.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.5K
$20.8K CA$29.1K
1.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Richmond
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.1 CA$112
$132 CA$184
-39.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.30 CA$47.92
$32.35 CA$45.19
6.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.85 CA$59.9
$46.70 CA$65.3
-8.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Richmond
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.14 CA$43.51
$23.75 CA$33.18
31.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.41 CA$27.11
$2.41 CA$3.37
705.39%
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 CA$15.69
$12.46 CA$17.40
-9.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Richmond
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$525 CA$734
$800 CA$1,117
-34.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K CA$22.8K
$10.7K CA$14.9K
53.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Richmond
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0 CA$81.0
$53.2 CA$74.3
9.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.11 CA$53.2
$32.29 CA$45.11
18.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$131
$95.4 CA$133
-2.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$154
$118 CA$165
-6.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Richmond
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,285 CA$1,795
$1,831 CA$2,558
-29.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$977 CA$1,364
$1,409 CA$1,968
-30.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,271 CA$3,173
$2,523 CA$3,524
-9.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,665 CA$2,326
$2,140 CA$2,989
-22.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,139 CA$7,180
$8,487 CA$11.9K
-39.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,834 CA$5,357
$6,437 CA$8,993
-40.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Richmond
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,002 CA$4,194
$3,072 CA$4,292
-2.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.77
-6.08%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 25, 2026

Last update for Richmond: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$977
Richmond
$1.4K 44.2% $432
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$351
Richmond
$298 15% $53
Eating Out
Montreal
$291
Richmond
$260 10.6% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$157
Richmond
$211 34.1% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$135
Richmond
$135 0.2% $0.2
Getting Around
Montreal
$100
Richmond
$98 1.9% $1.9
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$54
Richmond
$49 9.2% $4.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,285 in Montreal versus $1,831 in Richmond. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Montreal versus $72 in Richmond. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $298 – making Richmond the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇨🇦 Richmond
🕒 Local time
00:43 12:43 AM
22:43 10:43 PM
2 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
198,309
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Richmond 3,690 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Richmond

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 Richmond: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or Richmond?
Richmond costs about 19% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. 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 Richmond?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,096 per month in Montreal and $3,689 in Richmond. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montreal or Richmond?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,285 there versus $1,831 in Richmond.
How much does it cost to live in Montreal compared to Richmond?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,064 in Montreal and $2,459 in Richmond. That makes Montreal about 16% cheaper.
Are groceries more expensive in Montreal or in Richmond?
Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Richmond – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Montreal or in Richmond?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,064 in Montreal and $2,459 in Richmond. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Montreal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Montreal vs other spots: cost of living compared

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