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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,100 per month in Richmond Hill vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,206 per month in Richmond Hill vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,311 per month in Richmond Hill vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Richmond Hill costs about 50% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Richmond Hill and Montreal sit above the global median – Richmond Hill by 131%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 CA$26.11

$15.92 CA$22.14

17.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.8 CA$114

$73.1 CA$102

12.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 CA$12.42

$11.15 CA$15.50

-19.91%

Cappuccino

$3.23 CA$4.49

$3.80 CA$5.29

-15.00%

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

$2.02 CA$2.81

$2.18 CA$3.03

-7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 CA$2.05

$1.46 CA$2.03

0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 CA$8.10

$6.12 CA$8.51

-4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.01

$6.78 CA$9.42

6.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.21

$2.33 CA$3.24

-0.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$3.39 CA$4.72

-24.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 CA$3.16

$3.73 CA$5.19

-39.14%

Eggs

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.38 CA$4.70

10.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.71 CA$19.07

$16.25 CA$22.60

-15.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.21 CA$15.59

$11.54 CA$16.05

-2.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 CA$20.71

$15.24 CA$21.19

-2.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.12

$3.74 CA$5.20

17.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.70 CA$2.37

-26.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.93

$4.11 CA$5.71

-31.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.70

$4.35 CA$6.05

-22.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$2.71 CA$3.76

-9.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.05

$2.62 CA$3.64

-16.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 CA$2.63

$2.25 CA$3.13

-16.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 CA$1.32

$1.73 CA$2.40

-45.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.02 CA$16.71

$13.31 CA$18.51

-9.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 CA$17.99

$10.78 CA$15.00

19.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$3.01 CA$4.19

-35.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$3.46 CA$4.82

-30.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.74 CA$3.81

0.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$157

$72.7 CA$101

55.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$3.63 CA$5.05

-15.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 CA$1.48

$1.46 CA$2.03

-27.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 CA$30.83

$33.44 CA$46.50

-33.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.21 CA$1.69

-9.92%

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

$25.4K CA$35.3K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

2.88%

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

$20.1K CA$28.0K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-7.22%

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

$179 CA$248

$76.0 CA$106

135.02%

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

$42.79 CA$59.5

$35.72 CA$49.68

19.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$80.4

$42.86 CA$59.6

34.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.32 CA$61.6

$42.92 CA$59.7

3.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

Cinema Ticket

$12.65 CA$17.59

$11.09 CA$15.42

14.07%

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

$419 CA$582

$620 CA$862

-32.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K CA$21.5K

$5,834 CA$8,114

164.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.25 CA$65.7

$62.7 CA$87.1

-24.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 CA$60.1

$44.41 CA$61.8

-2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 CA$86.9

$101 CA$140

-37.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 CA$124

$119 CA$166

-25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 CA$2,509

$1,211 CA$1,684

48.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 CA$2,588

$960 CA$1,334

93.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 CA$4,251

$2,035 CA$2,831

50.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,544 CA$3,538

$1,589 CA$2,210

60.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,687 CA$9,299

$5,181 CA$7,205

29.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,570 CA$7,747

$3,934 CA$5,470

41.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,000 CA$4,172

$2,960 CA$4,116

1.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

5.01

31.54%

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

Last update for Richmond Hill: June 2, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,804 in Richmond Hill 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 1% higher in Richmond Hill, 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 $82.0 in Richmond Hill versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $344 in Richmond Hill vs $392 in Montreal – so Richmond Hill 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 Hill vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Richmond Hill costs about 50% 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 $4,650 per month in Richmond Hill 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 14% cheaper in Richmond Hill – 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 $82.0 in Richmond Hill 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 Hill at $3,100. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Richmond Hill it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $3,100 in Richmond Hill. 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 Hill makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.