Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Sydney, NS Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Sydney, NS

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,065 per month in Montreal vs $1,880 in Sydney, NS, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,180 per month in Montreal vs $2,831 in Sydney, NS, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,296 per month in Montreal vs $3,782 in Sydney, NS, rent included.

Montreal costs about 10% more than Sydney, NS, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Sydney, NS sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Sydney, NS by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.08 CA$22.03

$11.69 CA$16.02

37.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$61.2 CA$83.8

20.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$14.95

$7.06 CA$9.67

54.53%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.00 CA$4.12

22.33%

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

$2.06 CA$2.83

$2.20 CA$3.01

-6.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.98 CA$2.71

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 CA$8.50

$5.57 CA$7.64

11.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.82

$5.74 CA$7.87

12.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.25 CA$3.09

4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.42

$2.59 CA$3.55

24.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$2.54 CA$3.48

51.18%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.54

$3.54 CA$4.85

-6.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.40

$6.57 CA$9.01

148.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.33

$8.72 CA$11.95

36.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.10 CA$20.69

$13.88 CA$19.02

8.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$7.33 CA$10.05

-49.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.25 CA$1.71

35.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$3.63 CA$4.98

13.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$1.43 CA$1.96

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.82

$0.85 CA$1.16

228.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.70

$2.52 CA$3.45

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.43 CA$3.32

-10.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.74 CA$2.38

2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 CA$18.12

$18.69 CA$25.61

-29.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.12

$11.68 CA$16.00

-5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.85 CA$3.91

4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.71

$4.29 CA$5.88

-19.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.84

$1.13 CA$1.55

147.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$98.9

$49.24 CA$67.5

46.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$4.53 CA$6.21

-18.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.42 CA$1.95

-1.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 CA$46.68

$25.31 CA$34.67

34.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.66

$1.16 CA$1.58

4.31%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$24.9K CA$34.2K

1.57%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$20.1K CA$27.5K

8.83%

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

$74.4 CA$102

$90.9 CA$124

-18.16%

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

$36.64 CA$50.2

$48.11 CA$65.9

-23.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.41 CA$59.5

$76.9 CA$105

-43.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.20 CA$59.2

$50.3 CA$68.9

-14.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

$3.63 CA$4.98

373.28%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.06

$7.97 CA$10.91

37.89%

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

$614 CA$842

$741 CA$1,015

-17.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 CA$8,022

$11.8K CA$16.2K

-50.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.8

$71.7 CA$98.2

-12.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 CA$60.6

$68.1 CA$93.3

-35.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$104 CA$142

-0.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$167

$109 CA$149

11.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,631

$1,089 CA$1,491

9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 CA$1,296

$811 CA$1,111

16.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 CA$2,791

$1,962 CA$2,687

3.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 CA$2,120

$1,443 CA$1,977

7.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,398 CA$7,395

$5,060 CA$6,933

6.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 CA$5,499

$3,746 CA$5,132

7.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,128

$2,560 CA$3,507

17.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.85

-26.86%

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

Last update for Montreal: April 11, 2026

Last update for Sydney, NS: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,190 in Montreal versus $1,089 in Sydney, NS. 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 18% 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 in Montreal versus $61 in Sydney, NS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $328 – making Sydney, NS 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 Sydney, NS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 10% more than Sydney, NS, 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 $3,097 per month in Montreal and $2,820 in Sydney, NS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $61.0 in Sydney, NS. 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 Sydney, NS, where all-in costs run around $1,880, than in Montreal at $2,065. In Sydney, NS it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sydney, NS costs $1,880 versus $2,065 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 Sydney, NS. 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.