Cost of Living Comparison Between Vaughan and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Vaughan and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,570 per month in Vaughan vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,765 per month in Vaughan vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,960 per month in Vaughan vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Vaughan costs about 23% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vaughan and Montreal sit above the global median – Vaughan by 92%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 CA$21.08

$16.52 CA$23.24

-9.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 CA$109

$74.0 CA$104

4.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 CA$14.25

$10.94 CA$15.40

-7.40%

Cappuccino

$3.48 CA$4.90

$3.84 CA$5.41

-9.37%

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

$2.12 CA$2.98

$2.14 CA$3.01

-0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$1.45 CA$2.04

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 CA$8.90

$6.13 CA$8.63

3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CA$7.35

$6.73 CA$9.47

-22.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 CA$2.47

$2.35 CA$3.31

-25.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 CA$3.00

$3.34 CA$4.69

-36.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.17

$3.74 CA$5.27

-1.87%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.76

$3.39 CA$4.77

-0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 CA$12.16

$16.30 CA$22.93

-46.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 CA$15.59

$11.81 CA$16.62

-6.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 CA$8.85

$15.64 CA$22.01

-59.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.14

$3.69 CA$5.20

-20.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.25

$1.70 CA$2.39

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.12

$4.11 CA$5.79

-28.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.79

$4.41 CA$6.20

-22.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.67

$2.79 CA$3.93

-31.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.81

$2.64 CA$3.72

-24.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 CA$2.60

$2.29 CA$3.22

-19.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.47

$1.78 CA$2.51

-1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.99 CA$18.27

$13.17 CA$18.53

-1.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 CA$16.26

$10.64 CA$14.97

8.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$3.01

$2.99 CA$4.20

-28.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.97

$3.44 CA$4.83

-38.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 CA$3.99

$2.81 CA$3.95

0.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$156

$72.8 CA$102

52.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$3.52 CA$4.95

-12.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$1.45 CA$2.05

-2.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 CA$31.50

$34.29 CA$48.26

-34.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.22 CA$1.72

-10.66%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

0.01%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-9.34%

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

$133 CA$188

$76.5 CA$108

74.22%

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

$33.44 CA$47.06

$35.60 CA$50.1

-6.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.61 CA$69.8

$42.96 CA$60.5

15.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.30 CA$46.85

$43.39 CA$61.1

-23.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 CA$30.79

$16.83 CA$23.68

30.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 CA$15.48

$11.09 CA$15.60

-0.81%

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

$820 CA$1,153

$625 CA$879

31.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$5,896 CA$8,296

212.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.70 CA$61.5

$63.1 CA$88.8

-30.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 CA$51.5

$44.50 CA$62.6

-17.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$103 CA$145

-41.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$146

$118 CA$166

-11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 CA$2,454

$1,207 CA$1,699

44.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 CA$2,192

$965 CA$1,358

61.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 CA$4,269

$2,031 CA$2,858

49.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,553 CA$3,593

$1,577 CA$2,219

61.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,654 CA$12.2K

$5,085 CA$7,155

70.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,311 CA$8,881

$3,783 CA$5,324

66.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,014 CA$4,240

$2,890 CA$4,066

4.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.73

5.01

34.33%

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

Last update for Vaughan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,744 in Vaughan 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 4% higher in Vaughan, 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 $77.0 in Vaughan versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Vaughan vs $395 in Montreal – so Vaughan 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

Vaughan vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vaughan costs about 23% more than Montreal, 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 $3,855 per month in Vaughan 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 33% cheaper in Vaughan – 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 $77.0 in Vaughan 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 Vaughan at $2,570. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vaughan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,570 in Vaughan. 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, Vaughan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.