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 $2,108 per month in Montreal vs $2,037 in Stratford, ON, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,226 per month in Montreal vs $3,294 in Stratford, ON, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,344 per month in Montreal vs $4,551 in Stratford, ON, rent included.

Montreal costs about 3% more than Stratford, ON, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Stratford, ON sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Stratford, ON by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.72

$18.00 CA$24.96

-0.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$50.0 CA$69.4

47.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.00

$11.42 CA$15.84

-5.34%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.44

$3.51 CA$4.87

11.68%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$1.51 CA$2.10

35.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.38 CA$1.91

10.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 CA$9.13

$4.38 CA$6.07

50.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CA$9.90

$4.73 CA$6.55

50.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.17 CA$3.01

9.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$2.97 CA$4.12

8.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.82 CA$5.29

-22.77%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.12

$2.95 CA$4.10

25.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.93

$9.69 CA$13.43

40.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.56

$11.44 CA$15.86

4.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.52

$34.97 CA$48.49

-59.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$3.75 CA$5.19

-3.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.03 CA$1.43

50.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$4.84 CA$6.71

-32.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$4.14 CA$5.75

-25.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$3.36 CA$4.66

-40.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$2.45 CA$3.39

-22.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.46 CA$3.41

7.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.35 CA$1.87

2.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CA$16.36

$11.36 CA$15.76

3.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 CA$14.98

$11.08 CA$15.37

-2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$3.54 CA$4.90

-33.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$3.07 CA$4.26

-5.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.14 CA$2.97

28.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 CA$107

$50.1 CA$69.5

53.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$2.37 CA$3.28

39.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.87 CA$2.59

-21.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.98 CA$45.74

$24.33 CA$33.75

35.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$1.08 CA$1.49

21.30%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

0.53%

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

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$20.6K CA$28.6K

-0.77%

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

$79.9 CA$111

$127 CA$176

-37.04%

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

$34.79 CA$48.25

$39.53 CA$54.8

-11.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.55 CA$59.0

$32.27 CA$44.75

31.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.49

$44.24 CA$61.4

-34.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

$20.10 CA$27.88

1.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 CA$15.92

$10.58 CA$14.68

8.51%

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

$565 CA$784

$831 CA$1,153

-31.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$17.2K CA$23.8K

-3.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.5

$47.42 CA$65.8

26.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 CA$58.1

$36.90 CA$51.2

13.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$78.1 CA$108

33.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$126 CA$174

-10.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,795

$1,227 CA$1,702

5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CA$1,406

$920 CA$1,275

10.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,149

$2,181 CA$3,025

4.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,334

$1,857 CA$2,575

-9.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,150

$3,725 CA$5,166

38.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,205

$2,730 CA$3,786

11.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.99

-11.02%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Last update for Stratford, ON: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,294 in Montreal versus $1,227 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 11% higher in Montreal, 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 $50.0 in Stratford, ON. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Montreal vs $422 in Stratford, ON – so Montreal 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 Stratford, ON: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 3% more than Stratford, ON, 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 $3,163 per month in Montreal and $3,056 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Montreal – 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 $50.0 in Stratford, ON. 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 Stratford, ON, where all-in costs run around $2,037, than in Montreal at $2,108. 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 $2,037 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 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.