Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarnia and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarnia and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,075 per month in Sarnia vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,916 per month in Sarnia vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Sarnia vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

Sarnia costs about 1% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sarnia and Montreal sit above the global median – Sarnia by 51%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.62 CA$18.78

$17.85 CA$24.62

-23.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.31 CA$63.9

$72.3 CA$99.7

-35.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 CA$14.15

$10.92 CA$15.06

-6.04%

Cappuccino

$2.98 CA$4.10

$3.97 CA$5.47

-24.94%

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

$1.96 CA$2.71

$2.07 CA$2.86

-5.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 CA$1.91

$1.55 CA$2.13

-10.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.24 CA$5.85

$6.41 CA$8.85

-33.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.07

$7.29 CA$10.05

-19.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.01

$2.39 CA$3.29

-8.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 CA$2.93

$3.21 CA$4.42

-33.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.03

$3.07 CA$4.23

-28.34%

Eggs

$2.70 CA$3.73

$3.68 CA$5.07

-26.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 CA$14.69

$13.57 CA$18.72

-21.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 CA$15.50

$11.63 CA$16.03

-3.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 CA$19.98

$13.97 CA$19.27

3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.21

$3.68 CA$5.08

2.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.61

$1.56 CA$2.15

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.70

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.70

$3.03 CA$4.17

12.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.83

$1.98 CA$2.74

-32.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.60

$1.82 CA$2.52

3.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 CA$2.29

$2.56 CA$3.53

-35.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CA$1.69

$1.39 CA$1.92

-11.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.85 CA$17.72

$11.49 CA$15.85

11.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.96 CA$13.74

$10.92 CA$15.06

-8.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.40

$2.26 CA$3.12

9.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.81

$3.01 CA$4.15

-8.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 CA$3.15

$2.69 CA$3.71

-15.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.8 CA$81.1

$75.3 CA$104

-21.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 CA$3.59

$3.35 CA$4.62

-22.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 CA$2.43

$1.50 CA$2.07

17.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.40

$33.70 CA$46.47

-13.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$1.29 CA$1.78

-11.63%

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

$28.0K CA$38.6K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

-0.97%

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

$19.4K CA$26.8K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

-2.61%

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

$145 CA$200

$80.4 CA$111

80.76%

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

$28.44 CA$39.23

$34.23 CA$47.21

-16.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.08 CA$62.2

$41.39 CA$57.1

8.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.26 CA$33.45

$29.24 CA$40.32

-17.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.12 CA$24.99

$19.89 CA$27.43

-8.90%

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 CA$16.85

$11.71 CA$16.15

4.36%

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

$355 CA$489

$564 CA$778

-37.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.1K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

-0.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 CA$77.5

$59.5 CA$82.1

-5.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.01 CA$42.76

$42.13 CA$58.1

-26.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 CA$99.5

$107 CA$148

-32.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 CA$121

$111 CA$153

-20.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 CA$1,959

$1,284 CA$1,770

10.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 CA$1,472

$990 CA$1,365

7.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,569 CA$3,543

$2,260 CA$3,116

13.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CA$2,053

$1,667 CA$2,299

-10.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,291

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,258

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,052 CA$4,208

$3,019 CA$4,163

1.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.09

4.41

15.42%

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

Last update for Sarnia: August 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,421 in Sarnia versus $1,284 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 Sarnia, 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 $46.00 in Sarnia versus $72.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $356 – making Sarnia 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

Sarnia vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarnia costs about 1% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,112 per month in Sarnia and $3,084 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 12% cheaper in Sarnia – 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 $46.00 in Sarnia and $72.0 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 $2,056, than in Sarnia at $2,075. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarnia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,056 versus $2,075 in Sarnia. 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, Sarnia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.