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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,065 per month in Montreal vs $1,847 in Thompson, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,180 per month in Montreal vs $2,781 in Thompson, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,296 per month in Montreal vs $3,716 in Thompson, rent included.

Montreal costs about 12% more than Thompson, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Thompson sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Thompson by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.08 CA$22.03

$16.61 CA$22.76

-3.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$71.3 CA$97.7

3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$14.95

$11.25 CA$15.42

-3.02%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.88 CA$5.32

-5.41%

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

$2.06 CA$2.83

$1.98 CA$2.71

4.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.71 CA$2.34

-15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 CA$8.50

$5.54 CA$7.60

12.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.82

$6.04 CA$8.28

6.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.11 CA$2.89

10.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.42

$2.68 CA$3.67

20.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$3.54 CA$4.85

8.47%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.54

$3.36 CA$4.61

-1.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.40

$11.33 CA$15.52

44.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.33

$11.96 CA$16.38

-0.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.10 CA$20.69

$14.48 CA$19.84

4.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$4.00 CA$5.48

-8.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.41 CA$1.93

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$3.58 CA$4.90

15.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.73 CA$5.12

15.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.82

$2.47 CA$3.39

12.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.70

$2.56 CA$3.51

5.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.60 CA$3.56

-16.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.79 CA$2.45

-0.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 CA$18.12

$13.86 CA$18.98

-4.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.12

$13.08 CA$17.92

-15.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.90 CA$3.98

2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.71

$3.10 CA$4.25

10.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.84

$2.44 CA$3.34

14.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$98.9

$62.9 CA$86.2

14.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.15 CA$4.31

16.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.48 CA$2.03

-5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 CA$46.68

$25.65 CA$35.13

32.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.66

$1.18 CA$1.61

2.54%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$24.8K CA$34.0K

1.92%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$20.5K CA$28.0K

6.86%

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

$74.4 CA$102

$143 CA$196

-48.12%

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

$36.64 CA$50.2

$43.17 CA$59.1

-15.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.41 CA$59.5

$63.4 CA$86.8

-31.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.20 CA$59.2

$41.30 CA$56.6

4.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.06

$11.24 CA$15.39

-2.22%

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

$614 CA$842

$749 CA$1,026

-17.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 CA$8,022

$11.7K CA$16.1K

-50.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.8

$55.0 CA$75.4

13.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 CA$60.6

$39.03 CA$53.5

13.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$85.4 CA$117

20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$167

$105 CA$144

15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,631

$695 CA$952

71.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 CA$1,296

$709 CA$971

33.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 CA$2,791

$1,160 CA$1,589

75.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 CA$2,120

$1,141 CA$1,563

35.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,398 CA$7,395

$4,455 CA$6,103

21.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 CA$5,499

$3,442 CA$4,715

16.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,128

$1,591 CA$2,180

89.37%

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Thompson: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,190 in Montreal versus $695 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 89% 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 $71 in Thompson. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $366 – 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 12% 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 $3,097 per month in Montreal and $2,770 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 $1,847, than in Montreal at $2,065. 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 $1,847 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 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.