Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,880 per month in Sydney, NS vs $2,065 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,831 per month in Sydney, NS vs $3,180 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,782 per month in Sydney, NS vs $4,296 in Montreal, rent included.

Sydney, NS is about 9% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sydney, NS and Montreal sit above the global median – Sydney, NS by 40%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 CA$16.02

$16.08 CA$22.03

-27.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 CA$83.8

$73.8 CA$101

-17.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 CA$9.67

$10.91 CA$14.95

-35.29%

Cappuccino

$3.00 CA$4.12

$3.67 CA$5.03

-18.26%

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

$2.20 CA$3.01

$2.06 CA$2.83

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.44 CA$1.97

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.57 CA$7.64

$6.21 CA$8.50

-10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$7.87

$6.44 CA$8.82

-10.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.09

$2.34 CA$3.21

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CA$3.55

$3.23 CA$4.42

-19.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.48

$3.84 CA$5.26

-33.85%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.85

$3.32 CA$4.54

6.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.57 CA$9.01

$16.35 CA$22.40

-59.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 CA$11.95

$11.92 CA$16.33

-26.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 CA$19.02

$15.10 CA$20.69

-8.08%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 CA$10.05

$3.68 CA$5.04

99.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.71

$1.69 CA$2.32

-26.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 CA$4.98

$4.12 CA$5.64

-11.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.96

$4.29 CA$5.88

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 CA$1.16

$2.79 CA$3.82

-69.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.45

$2.70 CA$3.70

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.32

$2.17 CA$2.97

11.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.38

$1.78 CA$2.44

-2.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.69 CA$25.61

$13.22 CA$18.12

41.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 CA$16.00

$11.04 CA$15.12

5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$3.91

$2.97 CA$4.07

-4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.44 CA$4.71

24.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$2.80 CA$3.84

-59.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.24 CA$67.5

$72.2 CA$98.9

-31.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 CA$6.21

$3.67 CA$5.03

23.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.95

$1.40 CA$1.92

1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.31 CA$34.67

$34.07 CA$46.68

-25.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.58

$1.21 CA$1.66

-4.13%

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

$24.9K CA$34.2K

$25.3K CA$34.7K

-1.55%

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

$20.1K CA$27.5K

$21.9K CA$30.0K

-8.11%

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

$90.9 CA$124

$74.4 CA$102

22.19%

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

$48.11 CA$65.9

$36.64 CA$50.2

31.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 CA$105

$43.41 CA$59.5

77.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 CA$68.9

$43.20 CA$59.2

16.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.63 CA$4.98

$17.18 CA$23.54

-78.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 CA$10.91

$10.99 CA$15.06

-27.48%

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

$741 CA$1,015

$614 CA$842

20.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.2K

$5,855 CA$8,022

102.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 CA$98.2

$62.6 CA$85.8

14.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.1 CA$93.3

$44.25 CA$60.6

53.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$142

$103 CA$142

0.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$149

$122 CA$167

-10.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,491

$1,190 CA$1,631

-8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 CA$1,111

$946 CA$1,296

-14.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,962 CA$2,687

$2,037 CA$2,791

-3.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 CA$1,977

$1,548 CA$2,120

-6.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,060 CA$6,933

$5,398 CA$7,395

-6.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,746 CA$5,132

$4,014 CA$5,499

-6.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,560 CA$3,507

$3,013 CA$4,128

-15.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

5.01

36.73%

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

Last update for Sydney, NS: April 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,089 in Sydney, NS versus $1,190 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 18% 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 $61 in Sydney, NS versus $74 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $392 – making Sydney, NS 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

Sydney, NS vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 10% more than Sydney, NS, 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 $2,820 per month in Sydney, NS and $3,097 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sydney, NS, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Montreal, 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 $61.0 in Sydney, NS 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 Sydney, NS, where all-in costs run around $1,880, than in Montreal at $2,065. In Sydney, NS it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sydney, NS costs $1,880 versus $2,065 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 Sydney, NS. 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.