Cost of Living Comparison Between Owen Sound and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Owen Sound and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,040 per month in Owen Sound vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,175 per month in Owen Sound vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,309 per month in Owen Sound vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Owen Sound is about 2% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Owen Sound and Montreal sit above the global median – Owen Sound by 53%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.01 CA$21.12

$16.52 CA$23.24

-9.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 CA$78.6

$74.0 CA$104

-24.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 CA$14.22

$10.94 CA$15.40

-7.59%

Cappuccino

$3.23 CA$4.54

$3.84 CA$5.41

-15.89%

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

$2.03 CA$2.86

$2.14 CA$3.01

-5.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.45 CA$2.04

15.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 CA$6.17

$6.13 CA$8.63

-28.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 CA$8.17

$6.73 CA$9.47

-13.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$2.35 CA$3.31

-24.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$3.34 CA$4.69

-12.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 CA$6.33

$3.74 CA$5.27

20.32%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.78

$3.39 CA$4.77

0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 CA$9.61

$16.30 CA$22.93

-58.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.06 CA$24.01

$11.81 CA$16.62

44.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.28 CA$29.94

$15.64 CA$22.01

36.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.72

$3.69 CA$5.20

10.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.55

$1.70 CA$2.39

7.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$4.11 CA$5.79

-29.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.82

$4.41 CA$6.20

-6.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$2.79 CA$3.93

-10.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.30

$2.64 CA$3.72

15.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 CA$4.35

$2.29 CA$3.22

34.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.78 CA$2.51

-24.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.53 CA$19.03

$13.17 CA$18.53

2.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 CA$22.84

$10.64 CA$14.97

52.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.07 CA$7.13

$2.99 CA$4.20

69.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CA$3.26

$3.44 CA$4.83

-32.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 CA$3.13

$2.81 CA$3.95

-21.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 CA$71.8

$72.8 CA$102

-29.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 CA$6.57

$3.52 CA$4.95

32.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$1.45 CA$2.05

44.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.59 CA$20.53

$34.29 CA$48.26

-57.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.60

$1.22 CA$1.72

-7.38%

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

$28.5K CA$40.2K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

13.00%

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

$22.3K CA$31.4K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

0.85%

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

$142 CA$199

$76.5 CA$108

85.02%

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

$42.95 CA$60.4

$35.60 CA$50.1

20.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$83.0

$42.96 CA$60.5

37.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.7 CA$118

$43.39 CA$61.1

92.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.0 CA$81.6

$16.83 CA$23.68

244.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 CA$12.79

$11.09 CA$15.60

-18.03%

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

$574 CA$807

$625 CA$879

-8.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K CA$25.6K

$5,896 CA$8,296

208.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.22 CA$60.8

$63.1 CA$88.8

-31.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.61 CA$57.1

$44.50 CA$62.6

-8.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 CA$114

$103 CA$145

-21.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$118 CA$166

-7.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 CA$1,535

$1,207 CA$1,699

-9.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 CA$1,227

$965 CA$1,358

-9.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 CA$2,361

$2,031 CA$2,858

-17.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 CA$2,188

$1,577 CA$2,219

-1.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,949 CA$4,150

$2,890 CA$4,066

2.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

5.01

36.33%

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

Last update for Owen Sound: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,091 in Owen Sound 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 2% higher in Owen Sound, 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 $56.0 in Owen Sound versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $416 in Owen Sound vs $395 in Montreal – so Montreal 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

Owen Sound vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 2% more than Owen Sound, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,060 per month in Owen Sound 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 Owen Sound, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Montreal – 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 $56.0 in Owen Sound and $74.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Owen Sound, where all-in costs run around $2,040, than in Montreal at $2,085. In Owen Sound it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Owen Sound costs $2,040 versus $2,085 in Montreal. 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 Owen Sound. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.