Cost of Living Comparison Between Peterborough and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Peterborough and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,372 per month in Peterborough vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,227 per month in Peterborough vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,083 per month in Peterborough vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Peterborough costs about 15% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Peterborough and Montreal sit above the global median – Peterborough by 77%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.79 CA$20.57

$15.92 CA$22.14

-7.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$104

$73.1 CA$102

1.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.55

$11.15 CA$15.50

0.27%

Cappuccino

$4.18 CA$5.82

$3.80 CA$5.29

10.00%

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

$1.63 CA$2.27

$2.18 CA$3.03

-25.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$1.46 CA$2.03

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.17

$6.12 CA$8.51

-4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 CA$8.43

$6.78 CA$9.42

-10.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.41 CA$3.35

$2.33 CA$3.24

3.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 CA$3.45

$3.39 CA$4.72

-26.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$3.73 CA$5.19

-25.47%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.62

$3.38 CA$4.70

-1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 CA$13.69

$16.25 CA$22.60

-39.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 CA$15.63

$11.54 CA$16.05

-2.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 CA$20.43

$15.24 CA$21.19

-3.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.87

$3.74 CA$5.20

-6.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.70 CA$2.37

-27.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$4.11 CA$5.71

-30.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.82

$4.35 CA$6.05

-20.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.28

$2.71 CA$3.76

-39.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.53

$2.62 CA$3.64

-3.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 CA$2.63

$2.25 CA$3.13

-16.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.20

$1.73 CA$2.40

-8.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 CA$16.93

$13.31 CA$18.51

-8.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 CA$17.83

$10.78 CA$15.00

18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$3.01 CA$4.19

-18.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$3.46 CA$4.82

-47.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.74 CA$3.81

-27.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 CA$74.1

$72.7 CA$101

-26.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$3.63 CA$5.05

-15.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 CA$0.96

$1.46 CA$2.03

-52.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.68 CA$30.15

$33.44 CA$46.50

-35.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.21 CA$1.69

-9.92%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

1.28%

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

$21.1K CA$29.4K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-2.49%

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

$178 CA$247

$76.0 CA$106

133.73%

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

$41.81 CA$58.1

$35.72 CA$49.68

17.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.9 CA$74.9

$42.86 CA$59.6

25.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.48 CA$64.6

$42.92 CA$59.7

8.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.65 CA$20.38

$17.23 CA$23.97

-14.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.90 CA$19.33

$11.09 CA$15.42

25.34%

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

$419 CA$583

$620 CA$862

-32.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.3K

$5,834 CA$8,114

88.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.20 CA$64.3

$62.7 CA$87.1

-26.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.13 CA$40.51

$44.41 CA$61.8

-34.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 CA$116

$101 CA$140

-16.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 CA$118

$119 CA$166

-28.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,436 CA$1,997

$1,211 CA$1,684

18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CA$1,717

$960 CA$1,334

28.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 CA$2,272

$2,035 CA$2,831

-19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 CA$2,314

$1,589 CA$2,210

4.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,693 CA$9,307

$5,181 CA$7,205

29.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,355 CA$8,837

$3,934 CA$5,470

61.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,033 CA$4,219

$2,960 CA$4,116

2.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.01

21.36%

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

Last update for Peterborough: May 30, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,436 in Peterborough 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 2% higher in Peterborough, 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 Peterborough versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $335 in Peterborough vs $392 in Montreal – so Peterborough 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

Peterborough vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Peterborough costs about 15% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,558 per month in Peterborough 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 17% cheaper in Peterborough – 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 Peterborough 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 Peterborough at $2,372. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Peterborough it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,372 in Peterborough. 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, Peterborough makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.