Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,788 per month in Toronto vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,110 per month in Toronto vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,432 per month in Toronto vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Toronto costs about 34% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toronto and Montreal sit above the global median – Toronto by 109%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.96

$16.52 CA$23.16

12.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$74.0 CA$104

13.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.38

$10.94 CA$15.34

0.27%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.84 CA$5.39

3.91%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$2.14 CA$2.99

-1.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.45 CA$2.03

16.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$6.13 CA$8.60

-3.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.08

$6.73 CA$9.44

-3.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.35 CA$3.30

15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$3.34 CA$4.68

-14.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$3.74 CA$5.25

-4.81%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.39 CA$4.76

4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.59

$16.30 CA$22.85

-18.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.29

$11.81 CA$16.56

10.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.51

$15.64 CA$21.93

7.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.77

$3.69 CA$5.18

11.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.70 CA$2.39

-32.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.76

$4.11 CA$5.76

-17.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.64

$4.41 CA$6.18

-8.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$2.79 CA$3.91

-12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.64 CA$3.70

11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.29 CA$3.21

7.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.78 CA$2.50

7.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.01

$13.17 CA$18.47

13.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.10

$10.64 CA$14.92

34.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$2.99 CA$4.19

-9.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$3.44 CA$4.82

-9.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$2.81 CA$3.94

-12.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$72.8 CA$102

54.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.08

$3.52 CA$4.93

3.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.45 CA$2.04

-7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.82

$34.29 CA$48.08

-25.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.22 CA$1.72

-9.02%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

0.08%

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

$21.8K CA$30.5K

$22.1K CA$31.0K

-1.65%

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

$117 CA$164

$76.5 CA$107

52.54%

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

$37.60 CA$52.7

$35.60 CA$49.91

5.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.3

$42.96 CA$60.2

24.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.1

$43.39 CA$60.8

31.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.24

$16.83 CA$23.60

23.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.20

$11.09 CA$15.55

4.24%

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

$1,125 CA$1,577

$625 CA$876

80.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$5,896 CA$8,266

212.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.4

$63.1 CA$88.5

-9.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$54.8

$44.50 CA$62.4

-12.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$103 CA$144

-14.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$118 CA$166

-3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,582

$1,207 CA$1,692

52.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,146

$965 CA$1,353

58.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,101

$2,031 CA$2,848

44.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,508

$1,577 CA$2,211

58.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.2K

$5,085 CA$7,129

71.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,628

$3,783 CA$5,304

81.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,842

$2,890 CA$4,051

19.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

5.01

2.99%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,207 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 20% higher in Toronto, 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 $84.0 in Toronto versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Toronto vs $395 in Montreal – so Toronto 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

Toronto vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto costs about 34% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,181 per month in Toronto and $3,127 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.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Toronto, 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 $84.0 in Toronto 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 Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,085, than in Toronto at $2,788. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,788 in Toronto. 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, Toronto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.