Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Thunder Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Thunder Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,377 in Thunder Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $3,506 in Thunder Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $4,634 in Thunder Bay, rent included.

Montreal is about 12% cheaper than Thunder Bay, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Montreal and Thunder Bay sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Thunder Bay by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$18.58 CA$26.15

-11.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$59.9 CA$84.3

23.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$12.47 CA$17.55

-12.27%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.73 CA$5.25

2.95%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$1.79 CA$2.53

19.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.52 CA$2.14

-4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$5.33 CA$7.50

15.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$5.26 CA$7.41

27.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.55 CA$3.58

-7.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.54 CA$3.58

31.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$3.50 CA$4.92

6.86%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$3.57 CA$5.02

-5.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$17.42 CA$24.51

-6.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$16.40 CA$23.08

-27.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$18.17 CA$25.57

-13.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$3.48 CA$4.89

6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.29 CA$1.81

31.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.95 CA$5.55

4.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$3.75 CA$5.28

17.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.61 CA$3.67

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$2.22 CA$3.12

18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$3.10 CA$4.37

-26.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$2.21 CA$3.11

-19.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$11.15 CA$15.69

18.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$8.91 CA$12.54

19.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$2.12 CA$2.99

41.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$2.85 CA$4.01

20.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$2.46 CA$3.46

14.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$63.7 CA$89.7

14.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.24 CA$4.57

8.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.98 CA$2.78

-26.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$25.49 CA$35.87

34.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.17 CA$1.65

4.27%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$25.5K CA$35.9K

-0.90%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$20.5K CA$28.8K

8.09%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$201 CA$283

-61.93%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$59.8 CA$84.1

-40.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$99.9 CA$141

-57.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$30.65 CA$43.13

41.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$18.19 CA$25.59

-7.48%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$13.50 CA$19.00

-17.85%

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

$625 CA$879

$738 CA$1,038

-15.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$11.7K CA$16.5K

-49.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$60.3 CA$84.8

4.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$36.01 CA$50.7

23.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$74.9 CA$105

37.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$139 CA$196

-15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$1,045 CA$1,470

15.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$1,034 CA$1,455

-6.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$1,863 CA$2,622

9.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,820 CA$2,561

-13.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$2,854 CA$4,015

1.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.19

-19.06%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Thunder Bay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,045 in Thunder Bay. 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 1% higher in Montreal, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal versus $60.0 in Thunder Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Montreal vs $413 in Thunder Bay – 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 Thunder Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thunder Bay costs about 14% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,127 per month in Montreal and $3,566 in Thunder Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% more in Thunder Bay, 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 $60.0 in Thunder Bay. 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 Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,085, than in Thunder Bay at $2,377. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thunder Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,377 in Thunder Bay. 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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thunder Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.