Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Sarnia Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Sarnia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,108 per month in Montreal vs $2,049 in Sarnia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,226 per month in Montreal vs $2,869 in Sarnia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,344 per month in Montreal vs $3,690 in Sarnia, rent included.

Montreal costs about 3% more than Sarnia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Montreal and Sarnia sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Sarnia by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.73

$14.02 CA$19.44

27.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$47.45 CA$65.8

55.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.00

$10.26 CA$14.23

5.36%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.44

$2.93 CA$4.07

33.79%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$1.98 CA$2.75

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.33 CA$1.85

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 CA$9.14

$4.44 CA$6.16

48.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CA$9.90

$5.73 CA$7.95

24.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.09 CA$2.90

13.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$2.41 CA$3.35

34.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.47 CA$3.42

19.43%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.12

$2.84 CA$3.94

29.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.93

$11.18 CA$15.51

22.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.56

$11.62 CA$16.11

2.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.52

$14.40 CA$19.98

-2.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$3.64 CA$5.05

-0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.16 CA$1.61

33.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$3.60 CA$5.00

-8.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$3.67 CA$5.09

-16.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.41 CA$1.95

41.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$1.93 CA$2.68

-1.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$1.75 CA$2.42

50.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.24 CA$1.72

12.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CA$16.36

$12.58 CA$17.45

-6.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 CA$14.98

$10.30 CA$14.29

4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$2.48 CA$3.44

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$2.79 CA$3.87

3.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.33 CA$3.23

17.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 CA$107

$57.7 CA$80.0

33.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$2.58 CA$3.58

28.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.86 CA$2.57

-21.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.98 CA$45.74

$28.44 CA$39.45

15.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$1.16 CA$1.60

12.93%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$28.5K CA$39.5K

0.88%

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

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$19.5K CA$27.1K

4.74%

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

$79.9 CA$111

$143 CA$198

-44.01%

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

$34.79 CA$48.25

$30.39 CA$42.14

14.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.55 CA$59.0

$47.48 CA$65.9

-10.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.50

$23.94 CA$33.20

21.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

$18.00 CA$24.97

12.94%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 CA$15.93

$11.95 CA$16.57

-3.93%

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

$565 CA$784

$359 CA$498

57.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$16.7K CA$23.1K

-0.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.5

$57.3 CA$79.5

5.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 CA$58.1

$31.00 CA$43.00

35.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$75.8 CA$105

37.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$75.0 CA$104

49.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,795

$1,394 CA$1,933

-7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CA$1,407

$1,045 CA$1,450

-2.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,149

$2,562 CA$3,553

-11.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,334

$1,520 CA$2,108

10.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,151

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,205

$3,069 CA$4,257

-1.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

5.09

-12.77%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sarnia: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,294 in Montreal versus $1,394 in Sarnia. 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 Sarnia, 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 $47.00 in Sarnia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $328 – making Sarnia 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 Sarnia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 3% more than Sarnia, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $3,073 in Sarnia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $47.00 in Sarnia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarnia, where all-in costs run around $2,049, than in Montreal at $2,108. In Sarnia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sarnia costs $2,049 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 Sarnia. 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.