Cost of Living Comparison Between Ottawa and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Ottawa and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,463 per month in Ottawa vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,588 per month in Ottawa vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,713 per month in Ottawa vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Ottawa costs about 18% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ottawa and Montreal sit above the global median – Ottawa by 84%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.61 CA$26.19

$16.52 CA$23.24

12.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$104

$74.0 CA$104

0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 CA$16.15

$10.94 CA$15.40

4.94%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.64

$3.84 CA$5.41

4.43%

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

$2.16 CA$3.04

$2.14 CA$3.01

0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$1.45 CA$2.04

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.32

$6.13 CA$8.63

-3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.26

$6.73 CA$9.47

-2.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.37

$2.35 CA$3.31

2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 CA$3.90

$3.34 CA$4.69

-17.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.65

$3.74 CA$5.27

-11.76%

Eggs

$3.67 CA$5.17

$3.39 CA$4.77

8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 CA$16.00

$16.30 CA$22.93

-30.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.14 CA$18.50

$11.81 CA$16.62

11.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$22.03

$15.64 CA$22.01

0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.17

$3.69 CA$5.20

18.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.70 CA$2.39

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.92

$4.11 CA$5.79

-14.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.18

$4.41 CA$6.20

-16.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.63

$2.79 CA$3.93

-7.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.46

$2.64 CA$3.72

20.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.19

$2.29 CA$3.22

-0.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.11

$1.78 CA$2.51

-15.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 CA$19.58

$13.17 CA$18.53

5.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 CA$15.06

$10.64 CA$14.97

0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 CA$3.37

$2.99 CA$4.20

-20.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$3.44 CA$4.83

-10.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 CA$4.20

$2.81 CA$3.95

6.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.1 CA$139

$72.8 CA$102

36.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$3.96

$3.52 CA$4.95

-20.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.05

$1.45 CA$2.05

0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.69 CA$27.71

$34.29 CA$48.26

-42.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$1.22 CA$1.72

-4.92%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-0.86%

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

$22.3K CA$31.4K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

0.89%

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

$158 CA$222

$76.5 CA$108

106.59%

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

$43.32 CA$61.0

$35.60 CA$50.1

21.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 CA$73.6

$42.96 CA$60.5

21.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.95 CA$67.5

$43.39 CA$61.1

10.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.06 CA$22.60

$16.83 CA$23.68

-4.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.78

$11.09 CA$15.60

1.08%

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

$891 CA$1,253

$625 CA$879

42.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$5,896 CA$8,296

170.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$77.4

$63.1 CA$88.8

-12.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.03 CA$57.7

$44.50 CA$62.6

-7.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 CA$127

$103 CA$145

-11.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 CA$134

$118 CA$166

-19.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 CA$2,084

$1,207 CA$1,699

22.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 CA$1,771

$965 CA$1,358

30.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,326 CA$3,272

$2,031 CA$2,858

14.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,936 CA$2,725

$1,577 CA$2,219

22.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,441 CA$6,249

$5,085 CA$7,155

-12.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,678 CA$6,583

$3,783 CA$5,324

23.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,546 CA$4,990

$2,890 CA$4,066

22.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.48

5.01

9.38%

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

Last update for Ottawa: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,481 in Ottawa versus $1,207 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 23% higher in Ottawa, 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 $74.0 in Ottawa versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $395 – making Ottawa 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

Ottawa vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ottawa costs about 18% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,694 per month in Ottawa and $3,127 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 7% cheaper in Ottawa – 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 $74.0 in Ottawa 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 $2,085, than in Ottawa at $2,463. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ottawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,463 in Ottawa. 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 makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.