Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Sterling

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $2,824 in Sterling, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Sterling
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Sterling Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Sterling

🇺🇸 United States

$2,824

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Sterling

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

A single person spends $2,018 per month in Montreal vs $2,824 in Sterling, rent included.

Montreal $2,018
Sterling $2,824

A couple spends around $3,085 per month in Montreal vs $4,327 in Sterling, rent included.

Montreal $3,085
Sterling $4,327

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Montreal vs $5,831 in Sterling, rent included.

Montreal $4,152
Sterling $5,831

Montreal is about 29% cheaper than Sterling, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Sterling sit above the global median – Montreal by 49%, Sterling by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 CA$26.61

$19.32 $19.32

-2.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$99.4

$75.4 $75.4

-6.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 CA$15.06

$11.84 $11.84

-9.97%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.43

$5.90 $5.90

-34.92%

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

$1.92 CA$2.71

$2.98 $2.98

-35.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.18

$2.48 $2.48

-37.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.23 CA$8.81

$5.42 $5.42

14.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 CA$10.03

$7.91 $7.91

-10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.27

$1.05 $1.05

120.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$4.01 $4.01

-21.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.54

$5.11 $5.11

-37.18%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.97

$5.61 $5.61

-37.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 CA$18.11

$17.11 $17.11

-25.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$16.20

$14.54 $14.54

-21.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 CA$18.92

$18.87 $18.87

-29.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.43

$5.58 $5.58

-43.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$2.34 $2.34

-38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.91

$5.05 $5.05

-31.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.34

$5.88 $5.88

-47.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.69

$2.82 $2.82

-32.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.50

$3.83 $3.83

-53.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.31

$2.26 $2.26

3.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$2.64 $2.64

-41.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.38 CA$16.09

$9.90 $9.90

14.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CA$15.03

$13.96 $13.96

-23.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$2.32 $2.32

-2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.99

$5.54 $5.54

-49.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 CA$3.76

$4.96 $4.96

-46.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.3 CA$109

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.53

$2.98 $2.98

7.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.41 $1.41

4.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.88 CA$46.48

$22.86 $22.86

43.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.90

$1.04 $1.04

28.85%

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

$28.2K CA$39.8K

$36.0K $36.0K

-21.71%

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

$19.6K CA$27.8K

$25.1K $25.1K

-21.76%

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

$76.0 CA$107

$156 $156

-51.40%

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

$33.95 CA$48.00

$50.5 $50.5

-32.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.31 CA$59.8

$79.1 $79.1

-46.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.76 CA$42.07

$29.37 $29.37

1.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 CA$28.67

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.77

$18.12 $18.12

-38.47%

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

$507 CA$717

$1,918 $1,918

-73.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.7K

$32.2K $32.2K

-50.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.4

$52.8 $52.8

8.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.58 CA$53.1

$45.11 $45.11

-16.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$87.7 $87.7

4.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$107 $107

2.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CA$1,782

$1,255 $1,255

0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 CA$1,340

$1,512 $1,512

-37.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 CA$3,021

$2,025 $2,025

5.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,281

$2,875 $2,875

-43.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,960 CA$7,011

$3,239 $3,239

53.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,838 CA$5,425

$2,372 $2,372

61.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,827 CA$3,997

$3,714 $3,714

-23.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

6.63

-32.43%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sterling: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$948 47%

Sterling

$1.5K 53.6% 59.5% $564

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$346 17.2%

Sterling

$473 16.8% 36.5% $127

Eating Out

Montreal

$288 14.3%

Sterling

$326 11.5% 13.1% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$152 7.5%

Sterling

$286 10.1% 87.8% $134

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$133 6.6%

Sterling

$132 4.7% 1.2% $1.6

Getting Around

Montreal

$99 4.9%

Sterling

$30 * 1.1% 69.7% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$52 2.6%

Sterling

$66 2.3% 26% $14

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Montreal versus $1,255 in Sterling. 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 31% higher in Sterling, 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 $70.0 in Montreal versus $75.0 in Sterling. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $473 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇺🇸 Sterling

🕒 Local time

13:39 1:39 PM

12:39 12:39 PM

1 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

14,782

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Montreal Sterling 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
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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 Sterling: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sterling costs about 40% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,027 per month in Montreal and $4,236 in Sterling. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montreal and $75.0 in Sterling. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Sterling, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,018, than in Sterling at $2,824. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sterling it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,018 versus $2,824 in Sterling. 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, Sterling makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.