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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,557 per month in Oshawa vs $2,088 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,795 per month in Oshawa vs $3,123 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,032 per month in Oshawa vs $4,157 in Montreal, rent included.

Oshawa costs about 22% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Oshawa and Montreal sit above the global median – Oshawa by 91%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.21 CA$24.95

$15.89 CA$21.77

14.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.8 CA$99.7

$74.7 CA$102

-2.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 CA$14.32

$10.83 CA$14.83

-3.51%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.24

$3.80 CA$5.21

0.79%

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

$1.88 CA$2.57

$2.10 CA$2.88

-10.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$1.51 CA$2.08

2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 CA$7.24

$6.09 CA$8.34

-13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 CA$8.41

$6.48 CA$8.88

-5.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$2.32 CA$3.18

15.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CA$3.55

$3.26 CA$4.47

-20.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$3.79 CA$5.19

-3.43%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.66

$3.46 CA$4.73

-1.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.26 CA$16.79

$16.07 CA$22.02

-23.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 CA$15.67

$11.78 CA$16.14

-2.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 CA$22.31

$15.13 CA$20.73

7.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 CA$4.92

$3.74 CA$5.12

-4.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 CA$1.59

$1.71 CA$2.34

-32.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.29

$3.92 CA$5.37

-1.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 CA$6.94

$4.28 CA$5.87

18.46%

Potato (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.23

$2.74 CA$3.75

66.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.52

$2.64 CA$3.62

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 CA$4.14

$2.28 CA$3.13

32.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.83

$1.71 CA$2.34

-21.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 CA$20.57

$13.39 CA$18.35

12.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 CA$17.66

$10.95 CA$15.00

17.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.20

$3.00 CA$4.11

2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$3.60 CA$4.94

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 CA$3.74

$2.82 CA$3.86

-3.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$75.1 CA$103

17.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$4.93

$3.52 CA$4.82

2.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 CA$3.02

$1.46 CA$2.00

50.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.25 CA$30.48

$34.29 CA$46.97

-35.11%

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)

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.1K CA$34.3K

0.31%

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

$20.6K CA$28.2K

$21.9K CA$30.0K

-5.87%

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

$236 CA$323

$74.7 CA$102

215.53%

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

$57.9 CA$79.4

$35.83 CA$49.09

61.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 CA$103

$43.53 CA$59.6

72.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 CA$57.3

$43.06 CA$59.0

-2.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.03 CA$50.7

$16.90 CA$23.15

119.11%

Cinema Ticket

$12.34 CA$16.90

$11.10 CA$15.21

11.17%

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

$1,346 CA$1,845

$609 CA$834

121.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.4K

$5,925 CA$8,117

102.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$80.9

$62.8 CA$86.0

-5.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.6 CA$79.0

$44.85 CA$61.5

28.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 CA$160

$101 CA$138

15.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 CA$217

$118 CA$162

33.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 CA$1,785

$1,221 CA$1,673

6.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$955 CA$1,308

24.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 CA$2,727

$2,105 CA$2,883

-5.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 CA$2,659

$1,600 CA$2,192

21.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,248 CA$7,189

$5,308 CA$7,272

-1.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CA$14.5K

$4,045 CA$5,542

161.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,106 CA$4,255

$3,031 CA$4,152

2.48%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,303 in Oshawa 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 2% 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 $75.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $391 – 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 22% 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 $3,836 per month in Oshawa 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% 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 $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 Oshawa at $2,557. 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 $2,088 versus $2,557 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.