Cost of Living Comparison Between Simcoe, ON and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Simcoe, ON and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,490 per month in Simcoe, ON vs $2,108 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,614 per month in Simcoe, ON vs $3,226 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,737 per month in Simcoe, ON vs $4,344 in Montreal, rent included.

Simcoe, ON costs about 18% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Simcoe, ON and Montreal sit above the global median – Simcoe, ON by 81%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.59 CA$29.95

$17.83 CA$24.73

21.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 CA$89.5

$73.6 CA$102

-12.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 CA$16.16

$10.81 CA$15.00

7.77%

Cappuccino

$3.54 CA$4.92

$3.92 CA$5.44

-9.69%

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

$1.53 CA$2.13

$2.04 CA$2.84

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.85

$1.52 CA$2.11

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 CA$7.05

$6.59 CA$9.14

-22.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 CA$8.62

$7.14 CA$9.90

-12.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CA$3.15

$2.37 CA$3.28

-4.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$3.23 CA$4.48

-26.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.06

$2.95 CA$4.10

-25.08%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.08

$3.69 CA$5.12

-20.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 CA$13.44

$13.65 CA$18.93

-29.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.62 CA$18.88

$11.94 CA$16.56

14.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.05 CA$30.58

$14.07 CA$19.52

56.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.96

$3.61 CA$5.01

-1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$1.55 CA$2.15

-17.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.73

$3.29 CA$4.56

3.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$3.07 CA$4.26

-8.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$2.00 CA$2.78

7.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.90 CA$2.64

-25.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.64 CA$3.66

-17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 CA$1.80

$1.39 CA$1.93

-6.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CA$15.57

$11.80 CA$16.36

-4.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.14 CA$15.45

$10.80 CA$14.98

3.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.37 CA$3.29

20.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 CA$4.42

$2.90 CA$4.02

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 CA$100

$77.1 CA$107

-6.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 CA$3.38

$3.31 CA$4.59

-26.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$1.46 CA$2.02

32.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.25 CA$33.63

$32.98 CA$45.74

-26.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.31 CA$1.82

-16.79%

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

$28.4K CA$39.5K

$28.7K CA$39.8K

-0.97%

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

$21.0K CA$29.2K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

2.94%

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

$127 CA$176

$79.9 CA$111

59.00%

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

$43.97 CA$61.0

$34.79 CA$48.25

26.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 CA$78.1

$42.55 CA$59.0

32.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.75 CA$59.3

$29.20 CA$40.50

46.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

Cinema Ticket

$8.92 CA$12.37

$11.48 CA$15.93

-22.30%

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

$828 CA$1,149

$565 CA$784

46.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K CA$23.9K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

3.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.78 CA$60.7

$60.2 CA$83.5

-27.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 CA$51.7

$41.87 CA$58.1

-10.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 CA$90.8

$104 CA$144

-37.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$170

$113 CA$156

8.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 CA$2,001

$1,294 CA$1,795

11.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 CA$1,818

$1,014 CA$1,407

29.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 CA$2,996

$2,271 CA$3,149

-4.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,186 CA$3,032

$1,683 CA$2,334

29.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,151

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,129 CA$4,340

$3,032 CA$4,205

3.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

4.44

12.39%

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

Last update for Simcoe, ON: September 5, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,443 in Simcoe, ON versus $1,294 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 Simcoe, ON, 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 $65.0 in Simcoe, ON versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $360 in Simcoe, ON vs $358 in Montreal – so Montreal 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

Simcoe, ON vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Simcoe, ON costs about 18% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,735 per month in Simcoe, ON and $3,163 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.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Simcoe, ON, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Simcoe, ON 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 $2,108, than in Simcoe, ON at $2,490. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Simcoe, ON it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,108 versus $2,490 in Simcoe, ON. 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, Simcoe, ON makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.