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 $2,037 per month in Stratford, ON vs $2,108 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Stratford, ON vs $3,226 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,551 per month in Stratford, ON vs $4,344 in Montreal, rent included.

Stratford, ON is about 3% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stratford, ON and Montreal sit above the global median – Stratford, ON by 48%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.00 CA$24.96

$17.83 CA$24.72

0.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 CA$69.4

$73.6 CA$102

-32.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 CA$15.84

$10.81 CA$15.00

5.64%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CA$4.87

$3.92 CA$5.44

-10.46%

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

$1.51 CA$2.10

$2.04 CA$2.84

-25.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 CA$1.91

$1.52 CA$2.11

-9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 CA$6.07

$6.59 CA$9.13

-33.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 CA$6.55

$7.14 CA$9.90

-33.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$3.01

$2.37 CA$3.28

-8.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 CA$4.12

$3.23 CA$4.48

-8.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.29

$2.95 CA$4.10

29.49%

Eggs

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.69 CA$5.12

-20.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 CA$13.43

$13.65 CA$18.93

-29.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 CA$15.86

$11.94 CA$16.56

-4.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.97 CA$48.49

$14.07 CA$19.52

148.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.19

$3.61 CA$5.01

3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 CA$1.43

$1.55 CA$2.15

-33.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 CA$6.71

$3.29 CA$4.56

47.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.75

$3.07 CA$4.26

34.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.66

$2.00 CA$2.78

68.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.39

$1.90 CA$2.64

28.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.41

$2.64 CA$3.66

-6.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$1.39 CA$1.93

-2.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.36 CA$15.76

$11.80 CA$16.36

-3.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.08 CA$15.37

$10.80 CA$14.98

2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$2.37 CA$3.29

49.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$2.90 CA$4.02

5.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$2.74 CA$3.79

-21.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 CA$69.5

$77.1 CA$107

-35.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$3.31 CA$4.59

-28.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 CA$2.59

$1.46 CA$2.02

28.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.33 CA$33.75

$32.98 CA$45.74

-26.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.49

$1.31 CA$1.82

-17.56%

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

$28.6K CA$39.6K

$28.7K CA$39.8K

-0.53%

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

$20.6K CA$28.6K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

0.78%

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

$127 CA$176

$79.9 CA$111

58.83%

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

$39.53 CA$54.8

$34.79 CA$48.25

13.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.27 CA$44.75

$42.55 CA$59.0

-24.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.24 CA$61.4

$29.20 CA$40.49

51.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.10 CA$27.88

$20.33 CA$28.20

-1.13%

Cinema Ticket

$10.58 CA$14.68

$11.48 CA$15.92

-7.84%

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

$831 CA$1,153

$565 CA$784

47.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K CA$23.8K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

3.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.42 CA$65.8

$60.2 CA$83.5

-21.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.90 CA$51.2

$41.87 CA$58.1

-11.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 CA$108

$104 CA$144

-24.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$174

$113 CA$156

11.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 CA$1,702

$1,294 CA$1,795

-5.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 CA$1,275

$1,014 CA$1,406

-9.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 CA$3,025

$2,271 CA$3,149

-3.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,857 CA$2,575

$1,683 CA$2,334

10.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,725 CA$5,166

$5,156 CA$7,150

-27.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,730 CA$3,786

$3,032 CA$4,205

-9.97%

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 Stratford, ON: September 6, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,227 in Stratford, 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 11% higher in Montreal, 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 $50.0 in Stratford, ON versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $422 in Stratford, 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

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

Montreal costs about 3% more than Stratford, ON, 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 $3,056 per month in Stratford, 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 Stratford, ON, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Montreal – 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 $50.0 in Stratford, ON and $74.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Stratford, ON, where all-in costs run around $2,037, than in Montreal at $2,108. In Stratford, ON it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stratford, ON costs $2,037 versus $2,108 in Montreal. 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 Stratford, ON. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.