Cost of Living Comparison Between Pickering, ON and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Pickering, ON and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,684 per month in Pickering, ON vs $2,108 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,738 per month in Pickering, ON vs $3,226 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,792 per month in Pickering, ON vs $4,344 in Montreal, rent included.

Pickering, ON costs about 27% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pickering, ON and Montreal sit above the global median – Pickering, ON by 95%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.65 CA$20.32

$17.83 CA$24.73

-17.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 CA$79.1

$73.6 CA$102

-22.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.74 CA$14.90

$10.81 CA$15.00

-0.65%

Cappuccino

$2.09 CA$2.90

$3.92 CA$5.44

-46.68%

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

$1.83 CA$2.54

$2.04 CA$2.84

-10.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.52 CA$2.11

-3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.94 CA$6.85

$6.59 CA$9.14

-25.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 CA$6.39

$7.14 CA$9.90

-35.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$2.37 CA$3.28

-5.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$3.23 CA$4.48

-31.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.43

$2.95 CA$4.10

57.29%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.89

$3.69 CA$5.12

-4.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 CA$13.75

$13.65 CA$18.93

-27.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.84

$11.94 CA$16.56

-4.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 CA$19.79

$14.07 CA$19.52

1.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$3.61 CA$5.01

-14.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 CA$0.83

$1.55 CA$2.15

-61.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.59

$3.29 CA$4.56

-21.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 CA$2.94

$3.07 CA$4.26

-30.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.00 CA$2.78

11.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.73

$1.90 CA$2.64

41.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.81

$2.64 CA$3.66

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.39 CA$1.93

-7.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.49 CA$18.71

$11.80 CA$16.36

14.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 CA$18.27

$10.80 CA$14.98

22.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.44

$2.37 CA$3.29

-25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 CA$3.32

$2.90 CA$4.02

-17.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$2.74 CA$3.79

2.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$163 CA$227

$77.1 CA$107

112.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$3.89

$3.31 CA$4.59

-15.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$1.46 CA$2.02

62.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.81 CA$31.63

$32.98 CA$45.74

-30.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.55

$1.31 CA$1.82

-14.50%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$28.7K CA$39.8K

-13.36%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

0.47%

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

$107 CA$149

$79.9 CA$111

34.10%

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

$31.04 CA$43.05

$34.79 CA$48.25

-10.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 CA$71.9

$42.55 CA$59.0

21.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 CA$84.5

$29.20 CA$40.50

108.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.07 CA$37.54

$20.33 CA$28.20

33.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 CA$16.10

$11.48 CA$15.93

1.13%

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

$511 CA$708

$565 CA$784

-9.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.8K CA$39.9K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

73.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.1 CA$103

$60.2 CA$83.5

23.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 CA$75.7

$41.87 CA$58.1

30.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 CA$117

$104 CA$144

-19.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 CA$112

$113 CA$156

-28.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 CA$2,371

$1,294 CA$1,795

32.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 CA$2,114

$1,014 CA$1,407

50.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,495 CA$3,460

$2,271 CA$3,149

9.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,218 CA$3,076

$1,683 CA$2,334

31.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,329 CA$6,004

$5,156 CA$7,151

-16.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,054 CA$5,622

$3,842 CA$5,328

5.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,103 CA$4,304

$3,032 CA$4,205

2.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.44

-4.95%

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

Last update for Pickering, ON: September 5, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,710 in Pickering, ON versus $1,294 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 Pickering, ON, 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 $57.0 in Pickering, ON versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $358 – making Pickering, ON 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

Pickering, ON vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pickering, ON costs about 27% 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 $4,026 per month in Pickering, ON and $3,163 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 10% cheaper in Pickering, ON – 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 $57.0 in Pickering, ON and $74.0 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 $2,108, than in Pickering, ON at $2,684. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pickering, ON it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,108 versus $2,684 in Pickering, ON. 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, Pickering, ON makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.