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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,066 per month in Stratford, ON vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,207 per month in Stratford, ON vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,348 per month in Stratford, ON vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Stratford, ON and Montreal have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Stratford, ON and Montreal sit above the global median – Stratford, ON by 54%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.69 CA$21.73

$15.92 CA$22.05

-1.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$98.6

$73.1 CA$101

-2.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 CA$16.18

$11.15 CA$15.43

4.84%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.08

$3.80 CA$5.26

-3.42%

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

$1.85 CA$2.57

$2.18 CA$3.01

-15.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.99

$1.46 CA$2.02

-1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.34

$6.12 CA$8.48

-13.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$6.78 CA$9.38

-57.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 CA$2.58

$2.33 CA$3.22

-20.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 CA$2.55

$3.39 CA$4.69

-45.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$3.73 CA$5.16

-12.60%

Eggs

$2.02 CA$2.80

$3.38 CA$4.68

-40.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.00 CA$6.92

$16.25 CA$22.50

-69.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 CA$10.44

$11.54 CA$15.98

-34.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.04 CA$36.05

$15.24 CA$21.10

70.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.63

$3.74 CA$5.18

8.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 CA$1.25

$1.70 CA$2.36

-47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$4.11 CA$5.68

-23.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.19

$4.35 CA$6.02

-47.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$2.71 CA$3.75

6.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.62 CA$3.62

0.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CA$3.20

$2.25 CA$3.12

2.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.73 CA$2.39

-17.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.77 CA$14.91

$13.31 CA$18.43

-19.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 CA$15.66

$10.78 CA$14.93

4.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$3.01 CA$4.17

-9.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.86

$3.46 CA$4.80

-19.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.18 CA$3.02

$2.74 CA$3.79

-20.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 CA$71.6

$72.7 CA$101

-28.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 CA$3.36

$3.63 CA$5.03

-33.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.36

$1.46 CA$2.02

17.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.91 CA$45.56

$33.44 CA$46.30

-1.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.21 CA$1.68

-9.09%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

0.41%

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

$21.6K CA$29.9K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

-0.56%

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

$135 CA$187

$76.0 CA$105

77.20%

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

$54.2 CA$75.0

$35.72 CA$49.46

51.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CA$80.8

$42.86 CA$59.4

36.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.28 CA$61.3

$42.92 CA$59.4

3.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.54

$17.23 CA$23.86

15.44%

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 CA$14.76

$11.09 CA$15.35

-3.88%

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

$948 CA$1,313

$620 CA$858

53.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K CA$15.6K

$5,834 CA$8,078

92.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.89 CA$66.3

$62.7 CA$86.8

-23.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.41 CA$53.2

$44.41 CA$61.5

-13.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 CA$115

$101 CA$139

-17.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 CA$176

$119 CA$165

6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 CA$1,851

$1,211 CA$1,677

10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 CA$1,327

$960 CA$1,329

-0.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 CA$3,083

$2,035 CA$2,818

9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 CA$2,643

$1,589 CA$2,201

20.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,574 CA$6,334

$5,181 CA$7,173

-11.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,547 CA$4,911

$3,934 CA$5,446

-9.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,740 CA$3,793

$2,960 CA$4,098

-7.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.01

30.74%

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

Last update for Stratford, ON: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,337 in Stratford, ON 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 8% higher in Montreal. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Stratford, ON versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $392 – making Stratford, ON 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,099 per month in Stratford, ON 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Stratford, ON and $73.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,063, than in Stratford, ON at $2,066. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stratford, ON it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,066 in Stratford, 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, Stratford, ON makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.