Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Robinson, IL and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,059 a month against $2,349 in Robinson, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Robinson, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Robinson, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,349
/mo nomad
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,059
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Robinson, IL and in Montreal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Robinson, IL and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,349 per month in Robinson, IL vs $2,059 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Robinson, IL $2,349
  • Montreal $2,059

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Robinson, IL vs $3,123 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Robinson, IL $3,361
  • Montreal $3,123

A family of three spends $4,373 per month in Robinson, IL vs $4,187 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Robinson, IL $4,373
  • Montreal $4,187

Robinson, IL costs about 14% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Robinson, IL and Montreal sit above the global median – Robinson, IL by 73%, Montreal by 52%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Robinson, IL
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.89 $10.89
$18.84 CA$26.63
-42.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.0 $54.0
$73.2 CA$104
-26.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.26 $9.26
$10.54 CA$14.90
-12.14%
Cappuccino
$5.11 $5.11
$3.97 CA$5.61
28.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 $2.19
$1.94 CA$2.74
12.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 $1.59
$1.57 CA$2.22
1.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.17 $6.17
$6.42 CA$9.08
-3.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.88 $6.88
$7.20 CA$10.19
-4.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Robinson, IL
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.71 $0.71
$2.32 CA$3.28
-69.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.42 $2.42
$3.19 CA$4.51
-24.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.97 $4.97
$3.19 CA$4.50
55.80%
Eggs
$2.92 $2.92
$3.68 CA$5.20
-20.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.12 $13.12
$13.24 CA$18.72
-0.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.87 $6.87
$11.69 CA$16.53
-41.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.93 $5.93
$13.98 CA$19.76
-57.58%
Apples (1kg)
$3.99 $3.99
$3.14 CA$4.44
27.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 $1.40
$1.45 CA$2.05
-3.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.61 $3.61
$3.38 CA$4.78
6.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.27 $4.27
$3.11 CA$4.40
37.30%
Potato (1kg)
$2.55 $2.55
$1.93 CA$2.72
32.12%
Onion (1kg)
$2.57 $2.57
$1.83 CA$2.58
40.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.36 CA$3.34
-5.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.29 $2.29
$1.50 CA$2.12
52.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.06 $9.06
$11.12 CA$15.73
-18.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.52 $15.52
$10.60 CA$14.98
46.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.83 $2.83
$2.22 CA$3.14
27.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 $3.78
$2.84 CA$4.01
33.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Robinson, IL
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.88 $1.88
$2.62 CA$3.71
-28.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$79.1 CA$112
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$3.23 CA$4.56
-15.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 $1.38
$1.48 CA$2.10
-6.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.30 $30.30
$32.22 CA$45.55
-5.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.36 CA$1.92
-26.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K $33.2K
$27.6K CA$39.1K
20.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$21.2K CA$30.0K
21.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Robinson, IL
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$179 $179
$77.0 CA$109
131.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.1 $58.1
$34.14 CA$48.26
70.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.7 $68.7
$42.19 CA$59.7
62.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Robinson, IL
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.53 $43.53
$30.81 CA$43.56
41.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.66 CA$27.79
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.14 $11.14
$11.47 CA$16.22
-2.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Robinson, IL
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$399 $399
$506 CA$716
-21.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K $15.9K
$16.2K CA$23.0K
-2.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Robinson, IL
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.55 $49.55
$57.3 CA$81.0
-13.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.60 $35.60
$38.10 CA$53.9
-6.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$60.7 $60.7
$91.9 CA$130
-33.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.1 $79.1
$110 CA$155
-27.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Robinson, IL
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$570 $570
$1,237 CA$1,748
-53.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,303 $1,303
$977 CA$1,381
33.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,551 $2,551
$2,180 CA$3,082
17.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,176 $2,176
$1,608 CA$2,273
35.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,663 $2,663
$5,113 CA$7,228
-47.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,667 $2,667
$3,744 CA$5,293
-28.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Robinson, IL
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,031 $5,031
$2,957 CA$4,180
70.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.4
4.48
42.86%

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

Last update for Robinson, IL: October 20, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Robinson, IL
$1.3K
Montreal
$977 25% $326
Groceries & Markets
Robinson, IL
$321
Montreal
$351 9.5% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Robinson, IL
$305
Montreal
$153 49.8% $152
Eating Out
Robinson, IL
$236
Montreal
$290 23.1% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Robinson, IL
$101
Montreal
$134 32% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Robinson, IL
$66
Montreal
$54 18.3% $12
Getting Around
Robinson, IL
$17 *
Montreal
$100 484% $83

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $570 in Robinson, IL versus $1,237 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 70% higher in Robinson, IL, 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 $54.0 in Robinson, IL versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $351 – making Robinson, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Robinson, IL
🇨🇦 Montreal
🕒 Local time
01:50 1:50 AM
02:50 2:50 AM
1 h ahead of Robinson, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
12,443
1,762,949
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Robinson, IL Montreal 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Robinson, IL
  • Montreal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Robinson, IL vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Robinson, IL or Montreal?
Robinson, IL costs about 14% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Robinson, IL and in Montreal?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,523 per month in Robinson, IL and $3,089 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Robinson, IL or Montreal?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Robinson, IL and in Montreal?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Robinson, IL and $73.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Robinson, IL or in Montreal?
Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Robinson, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Robinson, IL or in Montreal?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,059, than in Robinson, IL at $2,349. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Robinson, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Robinson, IL or Montreal?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,059 versus $2,349 in Robinson, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Robinson, IL compared to Montreal?
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.
Should I move to Robinson, IL or to Montreal?
If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Robinson, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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