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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,864 per month in Thompson vs $2,084 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,795 per month in Thompson vs $3,161 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,725 per month in Thompson vs $4,239 in Montreal, rent included.

Thompson is about 11% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Thompson and Montreal sit above the global median – Thompson by 39%, Montreal by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.89 CA$23.59

$15.97 CA$22.30

5.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$98.6

$73.4 CA$102

-3.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.67

$10.97 CA$15.32

2.28%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.18

$3.79 CA$5.29

-2.11%

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

$1.98 CA$2.77

$2.16 CA$3.01

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$1.50 CA$2.09

8.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.50 CA$7.68

$5.90 CA$8.24

-6.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 CA$8.21

$6.82 CA$9.52

-13.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CA$2.98

$2.31 CA$3.23

-7.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$3.38 CA$4.72

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.93

$3.83 CA$5.36

-7.83%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.75

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 CA$15.88

$16.11 CA$22.50

-29.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.53 CA$16.10

$11.78 CA$16.46

-2.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 CA$20.44

$15.32 CA$21.40

-4.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.76

$3.66 CA$5.11

12.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$1.61 CA$2.25

-14.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.06

$4.07 CA$5.68

-11.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.10

$4.40 CA$6.14

-17.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.38

$2.68 CA$3.74

-9.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.42

$2.66 CA$3.72

-7.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$2.29 CA$3.20

10.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.41

$1.77 CA$2.48

-2.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.00 CA$19.55

$13.07 CA$18.25

7.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 CA$17.27

$10.70 CA$14.94

15.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.08

$3.13 CA$4.37

-6.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.26

$3.45 CA$4.82

-11.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.33

$2.84 CA$3.97

-15.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 CA$88.0

$72.7 CA$102

-13.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.45

$3.52 CA$4.92

-9.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.94 CA$36.23

$33.29 CA$46.48

-22.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.23 CA$1.71

-4.88%

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

$25.4K CA$35.5K

$25.4K CA$35.4K

0.25%

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

$21.0K CA$29.4K

$21.5K CA$30.0K

-2.02%

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

$145 CA$202

$73.9 CA$103

95.86%

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

$44.24 CA$61.8

$36.87 CA$51.5

19.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 CA$86.5

$42.97 CA$60.0

44.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.95 CA$58.6

$42.82 CA$59.8

-2.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 CA$23.55

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 CA$16.24

$11.19 CA$15.63

3.93%

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

$741 CA$1,035

$608 CA$850

21.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.3K

$5,823 CA$8,132

100.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 CA$75.8

$61.1 CA$85.3

-11.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.75 CA$55.5

$44.96 CA$62.8

-11.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 CA$119

$102 CA$143

-16.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$150

$122 CA$170

-11.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 CA$977

$1,198 CA$1,674

-41.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 CA$970

$942 CA$1,316

-26.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 CA$1,612

$2,087 CA$2,914

-44.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 CA$1,598

$1,559 CA$2,178

-26.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,971 CA$6,942

$5,093 CA$7,112

-2.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 CA$5,443

$3,783 CA$5,283

3.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,556 CA$2,173

$2,880 CA$4,022

-45.97%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Montreal: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $699 in Thompson versus $1,198 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 85% 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 $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $393 – 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 12% 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 $2,795 per month in Thompson and $3,126 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 9% 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 $73.0 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 $1,864, than in Montreal at $2,084. 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 $1,864 versus $2,084 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.