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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,584 per month in Oshawa vs $2,084 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,795 per month in Oshawa vs $3,161 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,005 per month in Oshawa vs $4,239 in Montreal, rent included.

Oshawa costs about 24% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Oshawa and Montreal sit above the global median – Oshawa by 92%, Montreal by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.70 CA$26.11

$15.97 CA$22.30

17.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 CA$103

$73.4 CA$102

0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 CA$14.16

$10.97 CA$15.32

-7.57%

Cappuccino

$3.62 CA$5.05

$3.79 CA$5.29

-4.49%

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

$1.91 CA$2.67

$2.16 CA$3.01

-11.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.50 CA$2.09

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 CA$7.08

$5.90 CA$8.24

-14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 CA$8.81

$6.82 CA$9.52

-7.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 CA$3.56

$2.31 CA$3.23

10.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.78

$3.38 CA$4.72

-19.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.27

$3.83 CA$5.36

-1.57%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.81

$3.40 CA$4.75

1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 CA$16.99

$16.11 CA$22.50

-24.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.95

$11.78 CA$16.46

-3.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.17 CA$22.58

$15.32 CA$21.40

5.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.02

$3.66 CA$5.11

-1.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.61 CA$2.25

-27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.48

$4.07 CA$5.68

-3.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 CA$6.80

$4.40 CA$6.14

10.68%

Potato (1kg)

$4.77 CA$6.66

$2.68 CA$3.74

77.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.67

$2.66 CA$3.72

25.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 CA$4.06

$2.29 CA$3.20

27.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.77 CA$2.48

-28.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.77 CA$20.63

$13.07 CA$18.25

13.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 CA$17.85

$10.70 CA$14.94

19.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.35

$3.13 CA$4.37

-0.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.07

$3.45 CA$4.82

-15.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.65

$2.84 CA$3.97

-7.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.0 CA$124

$72.7 CA$102

22.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 CA$5.19

$3.52 CA$4.92

5.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$1.44 CA$2.01

53.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.12 CA$30.89

$33.29 CA$46.48

-33.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.23 CA$1.71

-8.13%

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

$25.5K CA$35.5K

$25.4K CA$35.4K

0.33%

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

$20.8K CA$29.0K

$21.5K CA$30.0K

-3.28%

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

$232 CA$324

$73.9 CA$103

213.80%

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

$59.4 CA$83.0

$36.87 CA$51.5

61.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.4 CA$104

$42.97 CA$60.0

73.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.70 CA$58.2

$42.82 CA$59.8

-2.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.85 CA$51.5

$16.86 CA$23.55

118.56%

Cinema Ticket

$12.20 CA$17.04

$11.19 CA$15.63

9.03%

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

$1,324 CA$1,848

$608 CA$850

117.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.4K

$5,823 CA$8,132

102.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 CA$81.9

$61.1 CA$85.3

-3.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 CA$80.2

$44.96 CA$62.8

27.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 CA$164

$102 CA$143

14.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 CA$217

$122 CA$170

27.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 CA$1,759

$1,198 CA$1,674

5.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,619

$942 CA$1,316

23.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,041 CA$2,850

$2,087 CA$2,914

-2.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,920 CA$2,682

$1,559 CA$2,178

23.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,230 CA$7,304

$5,093 CA$7,112

2.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.4K CA$14.5K

$3,783 CA$5,283

174.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,987 CA$4,171

$2,880 CA$4,022

3.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.01

23.95%

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

Last update for Oshawa: June 9, 2026

Last update for Montreal: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,259 in Oshawa versus $1,198 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 Oshawa, 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 $73.0 in Oshawa versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $393 – making Oshawa 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

Oshawa vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oshawa costs about 24% 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 $3,877 per month in Oshawa and $3,126 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 3% cheaper in Oshawa – 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 $73.0 in Oshawa and $73.0 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 $2,084, than in Oshawa at $2,584. 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 $2,084 versus $2,584 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.