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 $2,354 per month in North Bay vs $2,108 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,570 per month in North Bay vs $3,226 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,785 per month in North Bay vs $4,344 in Montreal, rent included.

North Bay costs about 12% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both North Bay and Montreal sit above the global median – North Bay by 71%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.84 CA$24.75

$17.83 CA$24.73

0.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.0 CA$122

$73.6 CA$102

19.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.82

$10.81 CA$15.00

-1.20%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.45

$3.92 CA$5.44

0.26%

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

$2.17 CA$3.02

$2.04 CA$2.84

6.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.35

$1.52 CA$2.11

11.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 CA$7.18

$6.59 CA$9.14

-21.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 CA$9.51

$7.14 CA$9.90

-3.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.59 CA$3.59

$2.37 CA$3.28

9.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 CA$4.03

$3.23 CA$4.48

-10.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$2.95 CA$4.10

-15.93%

Eggs

$3.92 CA$5.44

$3.69 CA$5.12

6.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 CA$14.13

$13.65 CA$18.93

-25.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.29 CA$17.04

$11.94 CA$16.56

2.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 CA$17.25

$14.07 CA$19.52

-11.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.22

$3.61 CA$5.01

4.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.55 CA$2.15

-17.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.57

$3.29 CA$4.56

0.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.04

$3.07 CA$4.26

42.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 CA$2.56

$2.00 CA$2.78

-7.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.90 CA$2.64

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 CA$3.32

$2.64 CA$3.66

-9.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.39 CA$1.93

3.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 CA$20.02

$11.80 CA$16.36

22.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$19.86

$10.80 CA$14.98

32.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$2.37 CA$3.29

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.58

$2.90 CA$4.02

-11.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$2.74 CA$3.79

-13.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.5 CA$95.0

$77.1 CA$107

-11.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.29

$3.31 CA$4.59

-6.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.46 CA$2.02

-25.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.46 CA$31.15

$32.98 CA$45.74

-31.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.31 CA$1.82

-8.40%

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

$27.4K CA$37.9K

$28.7K CA$39.8K

-4.75%

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

$21.0K CA$29.1K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

2.67%

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

$126 CA$174

$79.9 CA$111

57.44%

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

$32.73 CA$45.39

$34.79 CA$48.25

-5.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.02 CA$66.6

$42.55 CA$59.0

12.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.71 CA$43.98

$29.20 CA$40.50

8.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 CA$17.92

$11.48 CA$15.93

12.54%

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

$765 CA$1,061

$565 CA$784

35.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K CA$34.0K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

47.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.53 CA$61.8

$60.2 CA$83.5

-26.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.33 CA$25.43

$41.87 CA$58.1

-56.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 CA$139

$104 CA$144

-3.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 CA$124

$113 CA$156

-20.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 CA$1,868

$1,294 CA$1,795

4.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 CA$1,727

$1,014 CA$1,407

22.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,216 CA$3,073

$2,271 CA$3,149

-2.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 CA$2,969

$1,683 CA$2,334

27.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,151

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,113 CA$4,318

$3,032 CA$4,205

2.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

4.44

0.68%

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

Last update for North Bay: September 6, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,347 in North Bay versus $1,294 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 3% 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 $88.0 in North Bay versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in North Bay vs $358 in Montreal – so North Bay 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

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

North Bay costs about 12% 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 $3,531 per month in North Bay and $3,163 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in North Bay – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in North Bay and $74.0 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 $2,108, than in North Bay at $2,354. 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 $2,108 versus $2,354 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.