Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Windsor, NS

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,064 a month against $2,212 in Windsor, NS, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
112

Cost of Living Index in Windsor, NS
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Windsor, NS Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,064

/mo nomad

Windsor, NS

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,212

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Windsor, NS

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montreal and in Windsor, NS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,064 per month in Montreal vs $2,212 in Windsor, NS, rent included.

Montreal $2,064
Windsor, NS $2,212

A couple spends around $3,156 per month in Montreal vs $3,268 in Windsor, NS, rent included.

Montreal $3,156
Windsor, NS $3,268

A family of three spends $4,247 per month in Montreal vs $4,324 in Windsor, NS, rent included.

Montreal $4,247
Windsor, NS $4,324

Montreal is about 7% cheaper than Windsor, NS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Windsor, NS sit above the global median – Montreal by 52%, Windsor, NS by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.98 CA$26.64

$18.93 CA$26.57

0.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$102

$35.52 CA$49.85

105.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.27

$10.82 CA$15.18

0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.35

$3.65 CA$5.12

4.38%

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

$1.94 CA$2.72

$2.06 CA$2.89

-5.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.22

$1.87 CA$2.62

-15.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.37 CA$8.94

$4.39 CA$6.16

45.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 CA$10.20

$5.59 CA$7.85

29.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$2.94 CA$4.12

-24.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$2.84 CA$3.99

11.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.64

$3.54 CA$4.97

-6.50%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.09

$3.74 CA$5.25

-2.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 CA$18.47

$13.70 CA$19.23

-3.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.22

$15.31 CA$21.48

-24.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 CA$19.25

$13.21 CA$18.54

3.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.62

$5.76 CA$8.09

-42.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CA$2.05

$1.54 CA$2.17

-5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.73

$4.75 CA$6.67

-29.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.42

$5.79 CA$8.13

-45.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.65

$2.07 CA$2.91

-8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.52

$2.15 CA$3.01

-16.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.49 CA$3.50

-0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.22

$2.10 CA$2.95

-24.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.28 CA$15.84

$14.17 CA$19.89

-20.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 CA$14.73

$14.35 CA$20.13

-26.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.28

$3.27 CA$4.59

-28.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$3.94 CA$5.53

-26.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.66

$2.54 CA$3.56

2.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$111

$64.0 CA$89.8

23.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.57

$2.87 CA$4.03

13.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$1.40 CA$1.96

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.43 CA$46.92

$21.04 CA$29.52

58.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.22 CA$1.71

9.02%

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

$28.6K CA$40.2K

$26.7K CA$37.5K

7.11%

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

$21.1K CA$29.6K

$21.3K CA$29.9K

-0.88%

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

$80.1 CA$112

$125 CA$176

-36.19%

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

$34.30 CA$48.14

$31.80 CA$44.63

7.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.85 CA$60.1

$36.09 CA$50.6

18.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.14 CA$43.71

$36.05 CA$50.6

-13.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.41 CA$27.24

$17.45 CA$24.49

11.23%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 CA$15.76

$12.92 CA$18.14

-13.08%

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

$525 CA$737

$379 CA$531

38.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K CA$22.9K

$13.7K CA$19.3K

18.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 CA$81.4

$59.9 CA$84.1

-3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 CA$53.5

$35.29 CA$49.52

7.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 CA$131

$103 CA$145

-9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$117 CA$165

-6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 CA$1,803

$1,265 CA$1,775

1.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,371

$1,025 CA$1,438

-4.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,187

$1,834 CA$2,573

23.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,336

$1,749 CA$2,454

-4.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,139 CA$7,212

$4,604 CA$6,461

11.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,834 CA$5,381

$3,447 CA$4,838

11.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,002 CA$4,213

$940 CA$1,320

219.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.6

-2.61%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 25, 2026

Last update for Windsor, NS: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$977 47.3%

Windsor, NS

$1K 46.3% 4.9% $48

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$351 17%

Windsor, NS

$429 19.4% 22.1% $78

Eating Out

Montreal

$291 14.1%

Windsor, NS

$277 12.5% 4.9% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$157 7.6%

Windsor, NS

$193 8.7% 23% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$135 6.5%

Windsor, NS

$142 6.4% 5.3% $7.2

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.9%

Windsor, NS

$84 3.8% 16% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$54 2.6%

Windsor, NS

$62 2.8% 15.5% $8.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,285 in Montreal versus $1,265 in Windsor, NS. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Montreal are about 3.2 times higher, 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 $73 in Montreal versus $36 in Windsor, NS. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Montreal vs $429 in Windsor, NS – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇨🇦 Windsor, NS

🕒 Local time

12:06 12:06 PM

13:06 1:06 PM

1 h ahead of Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

217,188

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.64 EUR

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Montreal Windsor, NS 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Windsor, NS

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Windsor, NS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Windsor, NS costs about 7% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,096 per month in Montreal and $3,317 in Windsor, NS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,285 in Montreal and $1,265 in Windsor, NS. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Windsor, NS, 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 $73 in Montreal and $36 in Windsor, NS. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,064 in Montreal and $2,212 in Windsor, NS. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,064 in Montreal to $2,212 in Windsor, NS. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.