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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,534 per month in Ottawa vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,628 per month in Ottawa vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,722 per month in Ottawa vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Ottawa costs about 23% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ottawa and Montreal sit above the global median – Ottawa by 89%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.49 CA$25.71

$15.92 CA$22.14

16.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$104

$73.1 CA$102

2.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 CA$15.90

$11.15 CA$15.50

2.51%

Cappuccino

$3.90 CA$5.43

$3.80 CA$5.29

2.63%

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

$2.06 CA$2.87

$2.18 CA$3.03

-5.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.46 CA$2.03

17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 CA$8.36

$6.12 CA$8.51

-1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 CA$9.07

$6.78 CA$9.42

-3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$2.33 CA$3.24

3.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.79

$3.39 CA$4.72

-19.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CA$4.61

$3.73 CA$5.19

-10.99%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$4.98

$3.38 CA$4.70

5.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 CA$15.78

$16.25 CA$22.60

-30.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.21 CA$18.37

$11.54 CA$16.05

14.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 CA$21.88

$15.24 CA$21.19

3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.82

$3.74 CA$5.20

11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.70 CA$2.37

-19.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.73

$4.11 CA$5.71

-17.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$4.35 CA$6.05

-16.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.48

$2.71 CA$3.76

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.43

$2.62 CA$3.64

21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.16

$2.25 CA$3.13

1.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.19

$1.73 CA$2.40

-9.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 CA$19.16

$13.31 CA$18.51

3.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 CA$15.04

$10.78 CA$15.00

0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$3.01 CA$4.19

-20.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$3.46 CA$4.82

-10.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 CA$4.21

$2.74 CA$3.81

10.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.7 CA$136

$72.7 CA$101

34.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 CA$3.99

$3.63 CA$5.05

-20.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.46 CA$2.03

-3.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.58 CA$27.22

$33.44 CA$46.50

-41.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.21 CA$1.69

-8.26%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

2.78%

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

$21.6K CA$30.0K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-0.38%

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

$164 CA$228

$76.0 CA$106

115.89%

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

$42.87 CA$59.6

$35.72 CA$49.68

20.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CA$71.7

$42.86 CA$59.6

20.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.92 CA$66.6

$42.92 CA$59.7

11.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.23 CA$22.58

$17.23 CA$23.97

-5.80%

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 CA$15.15

$11.09 CA$15.42

-1.71%

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

$898 CA$1,249

$620 CA$862

44.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.3K

$5,834 CA$8,114

174.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.3

$62.7 CA$87.1

-14.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.53 CA$56.4

$44.41 CA$61.8

-8.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 CA$126

$101 CA$140

-9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 CA$132

$119 CA$166

-20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 CA$2,086

$1,211 CA$1,684

23.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,792

$960 CA$1,334

34.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 CA$3,250

$2,035 CA$2,831

14.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 CA$2,651

$1,589 CA$2,210

19.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,478 CA$6,228

$5,181 CA$7,205

-13.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,704 CA$6,542

$3,934 CA$5,470

19.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,660 CA$5,091

$2,960 CA$4,116

23.67%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,500 in Ottawa versus $1,211 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 24% 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 $75.0 in Ottawa versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $369 in Ottawa vs $392 in Montreal – so Ottawa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 23% 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 $3,801 per month in Ottawa and $3,094 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 6% 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 $75.0 in Ottawa 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 $2,063, than in Ottawa at $2,534. 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 $2,063 versus $2,534 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.