Cost of Living Comparison Between Oshawa and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Oshawa and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,357 per month in Oshawa vs $2,042 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,382 per month in Oshawa vs $3,163 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,407 per month in Oshawa vs $4,284 in Montreal, rent included.

Oshawa costs about 15% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Oshawa and Montreal sit above the global median – Oshawa by 72%, Montreal by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.23 CA$19.90

$18.22 CA$25.50

-21.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.1 CA$89.7

$70.6 CA$98.8

-9.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 CA$11.81

$10.89 CA$15.24

-22.50%

Cappuccino

$3.50 CA$4.90

$3.92 CA$5.49

-10.71%

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

$1.73 CA$2.42

$1.97 CA$2.76

-12.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$2.00

$1.59 CA$2.23

-10.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 CA$7.23

$6.52 CA$9.12

-20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 CA$8.59

$7.24 CA$10.14

-15.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$2.29 CA$3.20

27.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.04

$3.11 CA$4.35

-7.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$3.03 CA$4.24

34.98%

Eggs

$3.01 CA$4.20

$3.59 CA$5.03

-16.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 CA$13.94

$14.29 CA$20.00

-30.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 CA$20.02

$11.39 CA$15.94

25.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.65 CA$23.29

$14.56 CA$20.37

14.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.06

$3.44 CA$4.81

25.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$1.53 CA$2.14

-21.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$3.20 CA$4.48

-11.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.37

$2.89 CA$4.04

32.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.94

$1.91 CA$2.67

84.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.66

$1.80 CA$2.52

45.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.31

$2.56 CA$3.59

-7.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.50 CA$2.10

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$20.24

$11.68 CA$16.35

23.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.67

$10.62 CA$14.86

18.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 CA$4.96

$2.37 CA$3.32

49.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.02

$3.03 CA$4.25

18.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.60

$2.72 CA$3.80

-5.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 CA$97.0

$74.2 CA$104

-6.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 CA$4.90

$3.19 CA$4.47

9.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 CA$0.97

$1.45 CA$2.03

-51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.03 CA$25.23

$33.52 CA$46.90

-46.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.31 CA$1.83

-14.50%

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

$28.2K CA$39.5K

$28.7K CA$40.1K

-1.57%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$20.4K CA$28.5K

-1.07%

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

$138 CA$193

$78.2 CA$109

76.30%

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

$38.91 CA$54.4

$35.53 CA$49.71

9.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 CA$74.1

$43.37 CA$60.7

22.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.31 CA$41.01

$30.84 CA$43.14

-4.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.67 CA$40.11

$19.99 CA$27.97

43.42%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.37

$11.58 CA$16.21

-5.09%

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

$1,202 CA$1,682

$552 CA$773

117.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K CA$23.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 CA$79.0

$55.4 CA$77.5

1.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 CA$79.4

$38.30 CA$53.6

48.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 CA$147

$99.0 CA$138

6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 CA$185

$104 CA$146

27.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 CA$1,929

$1,234 CA$1,726

11.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 CA$1,732

$990 CA$1,385

25.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 CA$2,757

$2,171 CA$3,037

-9.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 CA$2,549

$1,636 CA$2,289

11.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,258 CA$7,357

$5,129 CA$7,177

2.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.4K CA$14.6K

$3,724 CA$5,210

179.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,044 CA$4,259

$3,059 CA$4,280

-0.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

4.44

2.03%

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

Last update for Oshawa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,379 in Oshawa versus $1,234 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 0% 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 $64.0 in Oshawa versus $71.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $393 in Oshawa vs $354 in Montreal – 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

Oshawa vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oshawa costs about 15% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,536 per month in Oshawa and $3,063 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 11% more in Oshawa, 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 $64.0 in Oshawa and $71.0 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 $2,042, than in Oshawa at $2,357. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oshawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,042 versus $2,357 in Oshawa. 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, Oshawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.