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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,404 per month in North Bay vs $2,088 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,593 per month in North Bay vs $3,123 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,782 per month in North Bay vs $4,157 in Montreal, rent included.

North Bay costs about 15% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both North Bay and Montreal sit above the global median – North Bay by 80%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.94 CA$20.47

$15.89 CA$21.77

-5.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.0 CA$112

$74.7 CA$102

9.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 CA$12.09

$10.83 CA$14.83

-18.56%

Cappuccino

$3.21 CA$4.39

$3.80 CA$5.21

-15.53%

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

$2.11 CA$2.89

$2.10 CA$2.88

0.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 CA$1.86

$1.51 CA$2.08

-9.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.14

$6.09 CA$8.34

-14.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$8.90

$6.48 CA$8.88

0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 CA$2.37

$2.32 CA$3.18

-25.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 CA$3.19

$3.26 CA$4.47

-28.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.99 CA$9.57

$3.79 CA$5.19

84.43%

Eggs

$3.41 CA$4.68

$3.46 CA$4.73

-1.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.93 CA$28.67

$16.07 CA$22.02

30.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.75 CA$24.31

$11.78 CA$16.14

50.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 CA$15.46

$15.13 CA$20.73

-25.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 CA$6.31

$3.74 CA$5.12

23.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.93

$1.71 CA$2.34

-17.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$3.92 CA$5.37

-6.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$4.28 CA$5.87

-20.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.31

$2.74 CA$3.75

-11.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 CA$2.85

$2.64 CA$3.62

-21.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$2.28 CA$3.13

31.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$1.71 CA$2.34

60.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 CA$18.37

$13.39 CA$18.35

0.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 CA$20.23

$10.95 CA$15.00

34.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.45

$3.00 CA$4.11

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.48

$3.60 CA$4.94

-9.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$2.82 CA$3.86

-13.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.9 CA$103

$75.1 CA$103

-0.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 CA$5.66

$3.52 CA$4.82

17.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 CA$1.51

$1.46 CA$2.00

-24.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.10 CA$35.76

$34.29 CA$46.97

-23.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.51

$1.19 CA$1.63

-7.56%

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

$25.3K CA$34.6K

$25.1K CA$34.3K

0.79%

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

$19.8K CA$27.1K

$21.9K CA$30.0K

-9.55%

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

$145 CA$199

$74.7 CA$102

94.03%

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

$33.69 CA$46.16

$35.83 CA$49.09

-5.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$82.8

$43.53 CA$59.6

38.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.59 CA$33.69

$43.06 CA$59.0

-42.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 CA$23.15

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 CA$14.95

$11.10 CA$15.21

-1.71%

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

$912 CA$1,250

$609 CA$834

49.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.2K CA$40.0K

$5,925 CA$8,117

393.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.04 CA$60.3

$62.8 CA$86.0

-29.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.68 CA$25.59

$44.85 CA$61.5

-58.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 CA$82.9

$101 CA$138

-40.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 CA$113

$118 CA$162

-30.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 CA$1,920

$1,221 CA$1,673

14.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 CA$1,704

$955 CA$1,308

30.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,327 CA$3,188

$2,105 CA$2,883

10.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,111 CA$2,893

$1,600 CA$2,192

31.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,308 CA$7,272

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,045 CA$5,542

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 CA$4,313

$3,031 CA$4,152

3.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.01

28.74%

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

Last update for North Bay: April 28, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,401 in North Bay versus $1,221 in Montreal. 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 4% higher in North Bay, 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 $82.0 in North Bay versus $75.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $436 vs $391 – making Montreal 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

North Bay vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Bay costs about 15% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,606 per month in North Bay and $3,132 in Montreal. 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 12% more in North 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 $82.0 in North Bay and $75.0 in Montreal. 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 $2,088, than in North Bay at $2,404. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,088 versus $2,404 in North 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, North Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.