Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Richmond Hill Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Richmond Hill

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $3,020 in Richmond Hill, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $4,123 in Richmond Hill, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $5,226 in Richmond Hill, rent included.

Montreal is about 31% cheaper than Richmond Hill, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Richmond Hill sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Richmond Hill by 126%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$18.67 CA$26.27

-11.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$80.5 CA$113

-8.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$9.10 CA$12.80

20.22%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.18 CA$4.48

20.75%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$2.04 CA$2.87

4.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.53 CA$2.15

-5.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$5.76 CA$8.10

6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$7.33 CA$10.32

-8.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.28 CA$3.21

3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.56 CA$3.60

30.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$2.17 CA$3.06

72.35%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$3.72 CA$5.24

-8.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$13.83 CA$19.46

17.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$11.37 CA$16.00

3.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$14.96 CA$21.06

4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$4.60 CA$6.47

-19.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.23 CA$1.73

38.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$2.81 CA$3.96

46.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$3.40 CA$4.78

29.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.42 CA$3.40

15.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$2.17 CA$3.05

21.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$1.89 CA$2.66

21.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$0.93 CA$1.31

91.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$12.08 CA$17.00

9.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$12.68 CA$17.85

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$1.98 CA$2.78

51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$2.40 CA$3.37

43.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$2.79 CA$3.92

0.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$111 CA$157

-34.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.18 CA$4.47

10.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.07 CA$1.51

35.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$21.83 CA$30.72

57.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.14 CA$1.60

7.02%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$25.2K CA$35.4K

0.26%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$19.9K CA$28.1K

10.98%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$177 CA$249

-56.79%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$42.09 CA$59.2

-15.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$58.6 CA$82.5

-26.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$43.99 CA$61.9

-1.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$12.92 CA$18.18

-14.16%

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

$625 CA$879

$425 CA$598

46.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$15.7K CA$22.1K

-62.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$45.95 CA$64.7

37.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$44.41 CA$62.5

0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$62.5 CA$88.0

64.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$88.7 CA$125

33.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$1,777 CA$2,500

-32.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$1,826 CA$2,569

-47.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$3,014 CA$4,241

-32.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$2,604 CA$3,665

-39.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$6,367 CA$8,959

-20.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

$5,515 CA$7,761

-31.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$2,985 CA$4,200

-3.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.59

-23.98%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Richmond Hill: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,777 in Richmond Hill. 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 3% higher in Richmond Hill, 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $81.0 in Richmond Hill. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Montreal vs $344 in Richmond Hill – so Richmond Hill 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 Richmond Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Richmond Hill costs about 45% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $4,530 in Richmond Hill. 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 15% cheaper in Richmond Hill – 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 $81.0 in Richmond Hill. 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 $2,085, than in Richmond Hill at $3,020. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Richmond Hill it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $3,020 in Richmond Hill. 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, Richmond Hill makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.