Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ottawa, IL and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $2,633 in Ottawa, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ottawa, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

119

Cost of Living Index in Ottawa, IL
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Ottawa, IL Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Ottawa, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,633

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ottawa, IL and in Montreal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ottawa, IL and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,633 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $2,059 in Montreal, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $2,633
Montreal $2,059

A couple spends around $3,645 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $3,123 in Montreal, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $3,645
Montreal $3,123

A family of three spends $4,657 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $4,187 in Montreal, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $4,657
Montreal $4,187

Ottawa, IL costs about 28% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Ottawa, IL and Montreal sit above the global median – Ottawa, IL by 94%, Montreal by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.83 $14.83

$18.84 CA$26.63

-21.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.0 $61.0

$73.2 CA$104

-16.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$10.54 CA$14.90

-3.42%

Cappuccino

$4.76 $4.76

$3.97 CA$5.61

19.90%

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

$2.25 $2.25

$1.94 CA$2.74

15.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.57 CA$2.22

8.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.42 CA$9.08

-16.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 $5.61

$7.20 CA$10.19

-22.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.32 CA$3.28

-63.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.19 CA$4.51

-5.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.19 CA$4.50

-5.64%

Eggs

$3.91 $3.91

$3.68 CA$5.20

6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 $12.23

$13.24 CA$18.72

-7.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 $6.20

$11.69 CA$16.53

-46.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$13.98 CA$19.76

-10.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.14 CA$4.44

7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.45 CA$2.05

-2.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.38 CA$4.78

-8.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.11 CA$4.40

39.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.93 CA$2.72

9.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.83 CA$2.58

26.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.36 CA$3.34

-6.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.50 CA$2.12

-15.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.60 $12.60

$11.12 CA$15.73

13.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 $14.75

$10.60 CA$14.98

39.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.22 CA$3.14

-6.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.84 CA$4.01

42.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.62 CA$3.71

-21.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$112

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.23 CA$4.56

-20.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.48 CA$2.10

3.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.12 $33.12

$32.22 CA$45.55

2.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.36 CA$1.92

-13.97%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$27.6K CA$39.1K

-0.72%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$21.2K CA$30.0K

28.12%

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

$234 $234

$77.0 CA$109

204.27%

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

$45.76 $45.76

$34.14 CA$48.26

34.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$42.19 CA$59.7

58.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 $39.21

$30.81 CA$43.56

27.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.53 $26.53

$19.66 CA$27.79

34.94%

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 $11.26

$11.47 CA$16.22

-1.83%

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

$1,001 $1,001

$506 CA$716

97.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K $19.6K

$16.2K CA$23.0K

20.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.96 $47.96

$57.3 CA$81.0

-16.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.88 $46.88

$38.10 CA$53.9

23.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$91.9 CA$130

24.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$110 CA$155

10.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 $1,641

$1,237 CA$1,748

32.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 $1,483

$977 CA$1,381

51.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,846 $2,846

$2,180 CA$3,082

30.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 $2,203

$1,608 CA$2,273

37.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,779 $2,779

$5,113 CA$7,228

-45.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 $2,237

$3,744 CA$5,293

-40.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,448 $2,448

$2,957 CA$4,180

-17.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

4.48

52.23%

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

Last update for Ottawa, IL: October 17, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ottawa, IL

$1.5K 56.3%

Montreal

$977 47.4% 34.1% $506

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ottawa, IL

$347 13.2%

Montreal

$153 7.5% 55.8% $194

Groceries & Markets

Ottawa, IL

$314 11.9%

Montreal

$351 17.1% 11.8% $37

Eating Out

Ottawa, IL

$260 9.9%

Montreal

$290 14.1% 11.6% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Ottawa, IL

$149 5.7%

Montreal

$134 6.5% 10.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Ottawa, IL

$62 2.3%

Montreal

$54 2.6% 12.9% $8

Getting Around

Ottawa, IL

$18 * 0.7%

Montreal

$100 4.9% 443% $82

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,641 in Ottawa, IL versus $1,237 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 21% 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 $61.0 in Ottawa, IL versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $351 – making Ottawa, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ottawa, IL

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

22:54 10:54 PM

23:54 11:54 PM

1 h ahead of Ottawa, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,342

1,762,949

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Ottawa, IL Montreal 1,310 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Ottawa, IL
Montreal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ottawa, IL vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ottawa, IL costs about 28% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,950 per month in Ottawa, IL and $3,089 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Ottawa, IL and $73.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Ottawa, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,059, than in Ottawa, IL at $2,633. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ottawa, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,059 versus $2,633 in Ottawa, IL. 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, Ottawa, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.