Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Stratford, ON Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Stratford, ON

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,077 in Stratford, ON, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $3,265 in Stratford, ON, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $4,452 in Stratford, ON, rent included.

Montreal and Stratford, ON have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Montreal and Stratford, ON sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Stratford, ON by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$15.73 CA$22.14

5.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$72.3 CA$102

2.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$11.92 CA$16.77

-8.22%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.69 CA$5.20

4.07%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$1.79 CA$2.52

19.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.43 CA$2.01

1.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$5.26 CA$7.41

16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$3.00 CA$4.22

124.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$1.86 CA$2.62

26.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$1.85 CA$2.60

80.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$3.23 CA$4.54

15.79%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$2.11 CA$2.97

60.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$5.11 CA$7.19

218.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$7.46 CA$10.50

58.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$25.70 CA$36.17

-39.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$4.07 CA$5.73

-9.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$0.84 CA$1.18

102.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.31 CA$4.66

24.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$2.28 CA$3.20

93.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.86 CA$4.02

-2.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$2.65 CA$3.73

-0.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$2.38 CA$3.34

-3.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$1.44 CA$2.03

23.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$11.03 CA$15.52

19.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$11.07 CA$15.58

-3.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$2.74 CA$3.85

9.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$2.80 CA$3.94

22.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$2.16 CA$3.05

30.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$50.8 CA$71.5

43.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$2.34 CA$3.29

50.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.75 CA$2.46

-17.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$32.86 CA$46.23

4.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.11 CA$1.56

9.91%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$25.1K CA$35.4K

0.43%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$21.6K CA$30.3K

2.68%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$134 CA$188

-42.87%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$54.2 CA$76.2

-34.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$57.4 CA$80.8

-25.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$43.75 CA$61.6

-0.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$20.40 CA$28.70

-17.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$10.60 CA$14.91

4.62%

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

$625 CA$879

$932 CA$1,312

-33.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$10.9K CA$15.4K

-46.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$47.64 CA$67.0

32.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$38.10 CA$53.6

16.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$83.4 CA$117

23.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$129 CA$181

-8.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$1,358 CA$1,911

-11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$944 CA$1,328

2.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$2,187 CA$3,077

-7.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,923 CA$2,706

-18.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$3,672 CA$5,166

38.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$2,760 CA$3,883

4.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.55

-23.51%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Stratford, ON: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,358 in Stratford, ON. 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 Montreal. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal versus $72.0 in Stratford, ON. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $320 – making Stratford, ON 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 Stratford, ON: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,127 per month in Montreal and $3,116 in Stratford, ON. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stratford, ON, 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 $74.0 in Montreal and $72.0 in Stratford, ON. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Stratford, ON. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Stratford, ON, where all-in costs run around $2,077, than in Montreal at $2,085. In Stratford, ON it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stratford, ON costs $2,077 versus $2,085 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 Stratford, ON. 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.