Cost of Living Comparison Between Thompson and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Thompson and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,825 per month in Thompson vs $2,073 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,799 per month in Thompson vs $3,175 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,773 per month in Thompson vs $4,277 in Montreal, rent included.

Thompson is about 12% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Thompson and Montreal sit above the global median – Thompson by 37%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 CA$24.11

$16.22 CA$22.77

5.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$99.6

$74.3 CA$104

-4.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.63

$11.14 CA$15.64

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.43

$3.83 CA$5.37

1.04%

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

$2.06 CA$2.89

$2.13 CA$3.00

-3.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.43

$1.45 CA$2.03

19.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 CA$7.76

$6.11 CA$8.58

-9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 CA$8.02

$6.46 CA$9.07

-11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$2.24 CA$3.14

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.75

$3.22 CA$4.52

-17.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.91

$3.65 CA$5.13

-4.11%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.94

$3.36 CA$4.72

4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 CA$15.91

$15.97 CA$22.41

-28.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 CA$16.62

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 CA$20.24

$15.18 CA$21.31

-5.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.66

$3.74 CA$5.25

7.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.70 CA$2.38

-18.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.11

$3.98 CA$5.58

-8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.39

$4.45 CA$6.25

-13.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$2.66 CA$3.73

-10.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$2.57 CA$3.61

-0.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.50

$2.22 CA$3.12

12.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.52

$1.71 CA$2.40

4.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 CA$19.45

$13.02 CA$18.27

6.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 CA$17.47

$10.74 CA$15.08

15.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$3.07 CA$4.30

-8.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.21

$3.55 CA$4.98

-15.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.27

$2.69 CA$3.77

-13.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 CA$87.9

$74.0 CA$104

-15.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.56

$3.64 CA$5.11

-10.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.44 CA$2.02

0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.62 CA$35.95

$34.18 CA$47.98

-25.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.17 CA$1.64

-3.42%

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

$25.1K CA$35.3K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

0.89%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$22.0K CA$30.9K

-7.65%

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

$143 CA$200

$75.2 CA$106

90.01%

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

$43.01 CA$60.4

$36.93 CA$51.8

16.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 CA$86.8

$44.25 CA$62.1

39.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.37 CA$58.1

$42.03 CA$59.0

-1.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.79 CA$23.56

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 CA$16.04

$10.87 CA$15.26

5.15%

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

$742 CA$1,041

$624 CA$876

18.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$5,856 CA$8,220

99.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 CA$77.0

$61.7 CA$86.6

-11.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.99 CA$56.1

$44.74 CA$62.8

-10.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$122

$102 CA$143

-14.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$121 CA$169

-12.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 CA$983

$1,220 CA$1,712

-42.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 CA$981

$956 CA$1,341

-26.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 CA$1,612

$2,044 CA$2,869

-43.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 CA$1,607

$1,584 CA$2,223

-27.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,532 CA$6,361

$5,158 CA$7,239

-12.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,120 CA$4,379

$3,803 CA$5,338

-17.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,552 CA$2,179

$2,899 CA$4,069

-46.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.01

28.94%

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

Last update for Thompson: July 25, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $700 in Thompson versus $1,220 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 87% 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 $71.0 in Thompson versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $389 – making Thompson 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

Thompson vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 14% more than Thompson, 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 $2,737 per month in Thompson and $3,110 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $71.0 in Thompson 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 Thompson, where all-in costs run around $1,825, than in Montreal at $2,073. In Thompson it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Thompson costs $1,825 versus $2,073 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 Thompson. 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.