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 $2,095 per month in Owen Sound vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,157 per month in Owen Sound vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,218 per month in Owen Sound vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Owen Sound costs about 2% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Owen Sound and Montreal sit above the global median – Owen Sound by 56%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.85 CA$20.56

$15.92 CA$22.05

-6.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 CA$75.7

$73.1 CA$101

-25.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 CA$14.09

$11.15 CA$15.43

-8.79%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CA$4.33

$3.80 CA$5.26

-17.63%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$2.18 CA$3.01

-2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$1.46 CA$2.02

13.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 CA$6.06

$6.12 CA$8.48

-28.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 CA$8.09

$6.78 CA$9.38

-13.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$2.33 CA$3.22

-25.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$3.39 CA$4.69

-15.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 CA$6.49

$3.73 CA$5.16

25.74%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.70

$3.38 CA$4.68

0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 CA$9.45

$16.25 CA$22.50

-58.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.95 CA$23.47

$11.54 CA$15.98

46.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.96 CA$29.02

$15.24 CA$21.10

37.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.71

$3.74 CA$5.18

10.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 CA$2.41

$1.70 CA$2.36

2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CA$3.95

$4.11 CA$5.68

-30.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.71

$4.35 CA$6.02

-5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.34

$2.71 CA$3.75

-11.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.03

$2.62 CA$3.62

11.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 CA$4.22

$2.25 CA$3.12

35.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.85

$1.73 CA$2.39

-22.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.49 CA$18.67

$13.31 CA$18.43

1.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.68 CA$23.09

$10.78 CA$14.93

54.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.01 CA$6.93

$3.01 CA$4.17

66.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$3.46 CA$4.80

-34.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$2.74 CA$3.79

-18.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.3 CA$69.6

$72.7 CA$101

-30.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 CA$6.59

$3.63 CA$5.03

31.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.46 CA$2.02

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.70 CA$20.36

$33.44 CA$46.30

-56.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.21 CA$1.68

-9.92%

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

$28.0K CA$38.8K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

13.78%

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

$22.4K CA$31.0K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

3.40%

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

$144 CA$200

$76.0 CA$105

89.73%

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

$43.61 CA$60.4

$35.72 CA$49.46

22.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CA$82.6

$42.86 CA$59.4

39.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.7 CA$117

$42.92 CA$59.4

97.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.6 CA$82.5

$17.23 CA$23.86

245.73%

Cinema Ticket

$8.82 CA$12.21

$11.09 CA$15.35

-20.47%

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

$587 CA$813

$620 CA$858

-5.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.1K

$5,834 CA$8,078

210.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.40 CA$60.1

$62.7 CA$86.8

-30.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 CA$55.4

$44.41 CA$61.5

-9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 CA$111

$101 CA$139

-20.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$157

$119 CA$165

-4.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 CA$1,471

$1,211 CA$1,677

-12.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 CA$1,203

$960 CA$1,329

-9.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 CA$2,273

$2,035 CA$2,818

-19.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 CA$2,206

$1,589 CA$2,201

0.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,173

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,446

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,068 CA$4,248

$2,960 CA$4,098

3.65%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Owen Sound 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 4% higher in Owen Sound, 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 $55.0 in Owen Sound versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $414 in Owen Sound vs $392 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

Owen Sound costs about 2% more than Montreal, 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 $3,143 per month in Owen Sound 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.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Owen Sound, 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 $55.0 in Owen Sound 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 Owen Sound at $2,095. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Owen Sound it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,095 in Owen Sound. 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, Owen Sound makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.