Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Thompson Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Thompson

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,073 per month in Montreal vs $1,825 in Thompson, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,175 per month in Montreal vs $2,799 in Thompson, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,277 per month in Montreal vs $3,773 in Thompson, rent included.

Montreal costs about 14% more than Thompson, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Thompson sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Thompson by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 CA$22.77

$17.18 CA$24.11

-5.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 CA$104

$70.9 CA$99.6

4.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 CA$15.64

$11.13 CA$15.63

0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.37

$3.87 CA$5.43

-1.03%

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

$2.13 CA$3.00

$2.06 CA$2.89

3.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.73 CA$2.43

-16.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 CA$8.58

$5.53 CA$7.76

10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 CA$9.07

$5.72 CA$8.02

12.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.14

$2.10 CA$2.95

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.52

$2.67 CA$3.75

20.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.13

$3.50 CA$4.91

4.29%

Eggs

$3.36 CA$4.72

$3.52 CA$4.94

-4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.97 CA$22.41

$11.34 CA$15.91

40.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 CA$16.62

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.18 CA$21.31

$14.42 CA$20.24

5.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

$4.03 CA$5.66

-7.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.38 CA$1.94

23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$3.64 CA$5.11

9.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.25

$3.84 CA$5.39

15.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.73

$2.38 CA$3.35

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$2.56 CA$3.60

0.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.12

$2.50 CA$3.50

-11.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$1.79 CA$2.52

-4.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.02 CA$18.27

$13.85 CA$19.45

-5.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 CA$15.08

$12.45 CA$17.47

-13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.30

$2.81 CA$3.95

9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 CA$4.98

$3.00 CA$4.21

18.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$2.33 CA$3.27

15.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.0 CA$104

$62.6 CA$87.9

18.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 CA$5.11

$3.25 CA$4.56

12.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$1.45 CA$2.03

-0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.18 CA$47.98

$25.62 CA$35.95

33.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.13 CA$1.58

3.54%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$25.1K CA$35.3K

-0.88%

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

$22.0K CA$30.9K

$20.4K CA$28.6K

8.28%

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

$75.2 CA$106

$143 CA$200

-47.37%

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

$36.93 CA$51.8

$43.01 CA$60.4

-14.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.25 CA$62.1

$61.9 CA$86.8

-28.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 CA$59.0

$41.37 CA$58.1

1.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.79 CA$23.56

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 CA$15.26

$11.43 CA$16.04

-4.90%

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

$624 CA$876

$742 CA$1,041

-15.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 CA$8,220

$11.7K CA$16.4K

-49.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 CA$86.6

$54.8 CA$77.0

12.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.74 CA$62.8

$39.99 CA$56.1

11.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$143

$87.2 CA$122

16.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$169

$106 CA$149

13.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 CA$1,712

$700 CA$983

74.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 CA$1,341

$699 CA$981

36.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 CA$2,869

$1,149 CA$1,612

77.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 CA$2,223

$1,145 CA$1,607

38.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,158 CA$7,239

$4,532 CA$6,361

13.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,803 CA$5,338

$3,120 CA$4,379

21.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,899 CA$4,069

$1,552 CA$2,179

86.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.46

-22.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 26, 2026

Last update for Thompson: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,220 in Montreal versus $700 in Thompson. 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 87% 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 $71.0 in Thompson. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $363 – making Thompson 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 Thompson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 14% more than Thompson, 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 $3,110 per month in Montreal and $2,737 in Thompson. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $71.0 in Thompson. 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 Thompson, where all-in costs run around $1,825, than in Montreal at $2,073. In Thompson it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Thompson costs $1,825 versus $2,073 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 Thompson. 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.