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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,445 per month in Ottawa vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,628 per month in Ottawa vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,812 per month in Ottawa vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

Ottawa costs about 19% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ottawa and Montreal sit above the global median – Ottawa by 78%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.57 CA$27.08

$17.85 CA$24.70

9.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 CA$105

$72.3 CA$100

5.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.13

$10.92 CA$15.11

0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.52

$3.97 CA$5.49

0.50%

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

$2.06 CA$2.85

$2.07 CA$2.87

-0.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.44

$1.55 CA$2.14

13.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$7.96

$6.41 CA$8.88

-10.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 CA$8.73

$7.29 CA$10.09

-13.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.39 CA$3.30

-5.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CA$4.20

$3.21 CA$4.44

-5.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$3.07 CA$4.25

7.17%

Eggs

$3.41 CA$4.72

$3.68 CA$5.09

-7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 CA$15.19

$13.57 CA$18.78

-19.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 CA$15.69

$11.63 CA$16.09

-2.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.69 CA$24.47

$13.97 CA$19.33

26.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.23

$3.68 CA$5.10

2.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.56 CA$2.16

-12.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.36

$3.41 CA$4.72

13.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.25

$3.03 CA$4.19

25.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$1.98 CA$2.74

37.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.34

$1.82 CA$2.52

32.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 CA$3.73

$2.56 CA$3.54

5.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.19

$1.39 CA$1.92

13.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.18

$11.49 CA$15.90

26.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 CA$16.81

$10.92 CA$15.11

11.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.84

$2.26 CA$3.13

22.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 CA$5.02

$3.01 CA$4.16

20.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$2.69 CA$3.72

9.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.3 CA$135

$75.3 CA$104

29.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$3.35 CA$4.63

-17.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.50 CA$2.08

3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.22 CA$26.59

$33.70 CA$46.63

-42.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.29 CA$1.79

-6.98%

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

$29.0K CA$40.1K

$28.3K CA$39.1K

2.57%

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

$22.2K CA$30.7K

$20.0K CA$27.6K

11.08%

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

$141 CA$195

$80.4 CA$111

75.18%

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

$37.17 CA$51.4

$34.23 CA$47.37

8.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 CA$71.3

$41.39 CA$57.3

24.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.10 CA$63.8

$29.24 CA$40.46

57.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.94 CA$40.05

$19.89 CA$27.52

45.50%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 CA$17.86

$11.71 CA$16.20

10.25%

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

$959 CA$1,327

$564 CA$781

69.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$22.7K

$16.8K CA$23.3K

-2.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.1

$59.5 CA$82.3

5.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$53.7

$42.13 CA$58.3

-7.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$149

$107 CA$148

0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$139

$111 CA$153

-9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 CA$2,077

$1,284 CA$1,776

16.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 CA$1,741

$990 CA$1,370

27.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,326 CA$3,218

$2,260 CA$3,127

2.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 CA$2,652

$1,667 CA$2,307

14.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,418 CA$6,113

$5,287 CA$7,316

-16.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,702 CA$6,507

$3,813 CA$5,276

23.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,760 CA$5,203

$3,019 CA$4,177

24.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

4.41

-5.44%

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

Last update for Ottawa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,501 in Ottawa versus $1,284 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 25% 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 $76.0 in Ottawa versus $72.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $356 – making Montreal 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 19% 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 $3,667 per month in Ottawa and $3,084 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 5% more in Ottawa, 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 $76.0 in Ottawa and $72.0 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 $2,056, than in Ottawa at $2,445. 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 $2,056 versus $2,445 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.