Cost of Living Comparison Between Richmond and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Richmond and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,590 per month in Richmond vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,761 per month in Richmond vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,932 per month in Richmond vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Richmond costs about 26% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Richmond and Montreal sit above the global median – Richmond by 93%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.83 CA$23.38

$15.92 CA$22.12

5.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 CA$102

$73.1 CA$102

0.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 CA$13.13

$11.15 CA$15.49

-15.25%

Cappuccino

$4.06 CA$5.64

$3.80 CA$5.28

6.84%

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

$2.05 CA$2.85

$2.18 CA$3.03

-5.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.46 CA$2.03

-7.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 CA$7.49

$6.12 CA$8.51

-11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.15

$6.78 CA$9.41

-13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.33 CA$3.23

-6.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$3.39 CA$4.71

-29.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$3.73 CA$5.18

-27.61%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.47

$3.38 CA$4.70

-4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 CA$12.77

$16.25 CA$22.58

-43.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 CA$14.40

$11.54 CA$16.04

-10.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 CA$13.85

$15.24 CA$21.17

-34.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.21

$3.74 CA$5.20

-18.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$1.70 CA$2.37

-14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$4.11 CA$5.70

-34.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.57

$4.35 CA$6.05

-7.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.37

$2.71 CA$3.76

-10.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CA$2.99

$2.62 CA$3.63

-17.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$2.25 CA$3.13

-16.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.73 CA$2.40

-30.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.78 CA$20.53

$13.31 CA$18.49

11.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 CA$18.03

$10.78 CA$14.98

20.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CA$2.99

$3.01 CA$4.19

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$3.46 CA$4.81

-32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.74 CA$3.81

-20.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.1 CA$106

$72.7 CA$101

4.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 CA$4.15

$3.63 CA$5.05

-17.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.05

$1.46 CA$2.03

0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.82 CA$35.88

$33.44 CA$46.46

-22.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.21 CA$1.68

12.40%

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

$25.1K CA$34.8K

$24.6K CA$34.2K

1.71%

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

$20.5K CA$28.4K

$21.7K CA$30.1K

-5.65%

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

$112 CA$156

$76.0 CA$106

47.79%

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

$45.34 CA$63.0

$35.72 CA$49.63

26.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.37 CA$63.0

$42.86 CA$59.6

5.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 CA$79.8

$42.92 CA$59.6

33.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.99 CA$6.94

$17.23 CA$23.94

-71.04%

Cinema Ticket

$12.28 CA$17.06

$11.09 CA$15.40

10.73%

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

$957 CA$1,329

$620 CA$861

54.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.3K

$5,834 CA$8,106

88.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 CA$69.1

$62.7 CA$87.1

-20.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.01 CA$47.26

$44.41 CA$61.7

-23.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 CA$129

$101 CA$140

-8.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$169

$119 CA$165

2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 CA$2,462

$1,211 CA$1,683

46.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 CA$2,031

$960 CA$1,333

52.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 CA$4,081

$2,035 CA$2,828

44.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,459 CA$3,416

$1,589 CA$2,208

54.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CA$14.3K

$5,181 CA$7,198

98.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,237 CA$11.4K

$3,934 CA$5,465

109.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,142 CA$4,365

$2,960 CA$4,113

6.15%

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 Richmond: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,772 in Richmond 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 6% higher in Richmond, 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 Richmond versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $309 in Richmond vs $392 in Montreal – so Richmond 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

Richmond vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Richmond costs about 26% 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 $3,884 per month in Richmond 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 27% cheaper in Richmond – 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 Richmond 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 Richmond at $2,590. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Richmond it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,590 in Richmond. 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, Richmond makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.