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 $3,020 per month in Richmond Hill vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,123 per month in Richmond Hill vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,226 per month in Richmond Hill vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Richmond Hill costs about 45% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Richmond Hill and Montreal sit above the global median – Richmond Hill by 126%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.67 CA$26.27

$16.52 CA$23.24

13.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 CA$113

$74.0 CA$104

8.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 CA$12.80

$10.94 CA$15.40

-16.82%

Cappuccino

$3.18 CA$4.48

$3.84 CA$5.41

-17.19%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$2.14 CA$3.01

-4.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 CA$2.15

$1.45 CA$2.04

5.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.10

$6.13 CA$8.63

-6.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 CA$10.32

$6.73 CA$9.47

8.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.21

$2.35 CA$3.31

-2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$3.34 CA$4.69

-23.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 CA$3.06

$3.74 CA$5.27

-41.98%

Eggs

$3.72 CA$5.24

$3.39 CA$4.77

9.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 CA$19.46

$16.30 CA$22.93

-15.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.37 CA$16.00

$11.81 CA$16.62

-3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.96 CA$21.06

$15.64 CA$22.01

-4.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 CA$6.47

$3.69 CA$5.20

24.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CA$1.73

$1.70 CA$2.39

-27.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.96

$4.11 CA$5.79

-31.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$4.41 CA$6.20

-22.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.79 CA$3.93

-13.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$2.64 CA$3.72

-17.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 CA$2.66

$2.29 CA$3.22

-17.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 CA$1.31

$1.78 CA$2.51

-47.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.08 CA$17.00

$13.17 CA$18.53

-8.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 CA$17.85

$10.64 CA$14.97

19.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.78

$2.99 CA$4.20

-33.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.37

$3.44 CA$4.83

-30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 CA$3.92

$2.81 CA$3.95

-0.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$157

$72.8 CA$102

52.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 CA$4.47

$3.52 CA$4.95

-9.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 CA$1.51

$1.45 CA$2.05

-26.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.83 CA$30.72

$34.29 CA$48.26

-36.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.22 CA$1.72

-6.56%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-0.26%

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

$19.9K CA$28.1K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-9.90%

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

$177 CA$249

$76.5 CA$108

131.41%

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

$42.09 CA$59.2

$35.60 CA$50.1

18.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$42.96 CA$60.5

36.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.99 CA$61.9

$43.39 CA$61.1

1.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 CA$18.18

$11.09 CA$15.60

16.50%

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

$425 CA$598

$625 CA$879

-31.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K CA$22.1K

$5,896 CA$8,296

166.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.95 CA$64.7

$63.1 CA$88.8

-27.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$62.5

$44.50 CA$62.6

-0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 CA$88.0

$103 CA$145

-39.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 CA$125

$118 CA$166

-25.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 CA$2,500

$1,207 CA$1,699

47.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 CA$2,569

$965 CA$1,358

89.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,014 CA$4,241

$2,031 CA$2,858

48.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,604 CA$3,665

$1,577 CA$2,219

65.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,367 CA$8,959

$5,085 CA$7,155

25.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,515 CA$7,761

$3,783 CA$5,324

45.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,985 CA$4,200

$2,890 CA$4,066

3.31%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,777 in Richmond Hill versus $1,207 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 3% 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 $81.0 in Richmond Hill versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $344 in Richmond Hill vs $395 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 45% 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 $4,530 per month in Richmond Hill and $3,127 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 15% 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 $81.0 in Richmond Hill 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 $2,085, than in Richmond Hill at $3,020. 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 $2,085 versus $3,020 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.