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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,605 per month in Vaughan vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,794 per month in Vaughan vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,982 per month in Vaughan vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

Vaughan costs about 27% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vaughan and Montreal sit above the global median – Vaughan by 90%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.52 CA$24.16

$17.85 CA$24.62

-1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 CA$94.3

$72.3 CA$99.7

-5.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 CA$14.06

$10.92 CA$15.06

-6.59%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.19

$3.97 CA$5.47

-5.29%

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

$2.07 CA$2.85

$2.07 CA$2.86

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.29

$1.55 CA$2.13

7.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.38 CA$8.79

$6.41 CA$8.85

-0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.37 CA$8.78

$7.29 CA$10.05

-12.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 CA$2.82

$2.39 CA$3.29

-14.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 CA$3.05

$3.21 CA$4.42

-31.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 CA$3.80

$3.07 CA$4.23

-10.10%

Eggs

$3.55 CA$4.89

$3.68 CA$5.07

-3.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 CA$13.23

$13.57 CA$18.72

-29.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.12 CA$16.71

$11.63 CA$16.03

4.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.82 CA$19.06

$13.97 CA$19.27

-1.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.76

$3.68 CA$5.08

-6.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.56 CA$2.15

-17.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$4.99

$3.41 CA$4.70

6.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 CA$4.80

$3.03 CA$4.17

14.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 CA$2.30

$1.98 CA$2.74

-15.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 CA$2.18

$1.82 CA$2.52

-13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.15

$2.56 CA$3.53

-10.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CA$1.68

$1.39 CA$1.92

-12.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.87 CA$17.75

$11.49 CA$15.85

12.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 CA$16.82

$10.92 CA$15.06

11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CA$2.79

$2.26 CA$3.12

-10.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 CA$1.94

$3.01 CA$4.15

-53.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.88

$2.69 CA$3.71

4.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CA$147

$75.3 CA$104

41.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 CA$4.28

$3.35 CA$4.62

-7.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 CA$1.72

$1.50 CA$2.07

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.01 CA$30.36

$33.70 CA$46.47

-34.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 CA$1.45

$1.29 CA$1.78

-18.60%

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

$24.4K CA$33.7K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

-13.64%

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

$19.3K CA$26.6K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

-3.50%

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

$113 CA$156

$80.4 CA$111

40.37%

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

$29.25 CA$40.34

$34.23 CA$47.21

-14.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.3

$41.39 CA$57.1

24.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.54 CA$44.88

$29.24 CA$40.32

11.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.61 CA$29.80

$19.89 CA$27.43

8.65%

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 CA$14.25

$11.71 CA$16.15

-11.78%

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

$908 CA$1,252

$564 CA$778

60.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K CA$24.3K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

4.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.43 CA$61.3

$59.5 CA$82.1

-25.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.74 CA$52.0

$42.13 CA$58.1

-10.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CA$150

$107 CA$148

1.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$150

$111 CA$153

-1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 CA$2,313

$1,284 CA$1,770

30.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 CA$2,055

$990 CA$1,365

50.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 CA$3,734

$2,260 CA$3,116

19.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,543 CA$3,507

$1,667 CA$2,299

52.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,977 CA$12.4K

$5,287 CA$7,291

69.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,450 CA$8,895

$3,813 CA$5,258

69.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,035 CA$4,186

$3,019 CA$4,163

0.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

4.41

22.22%

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

Last update for Vaughan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Vaughan versus $1,284 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 1% 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 $68.0 in Vaughan versus $72.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $356 – making Vaughan 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

Vaughan vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vaughan costs about 27% 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 $3,908 per month in Vaughan and $3,084 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 10% 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 $68.0 in Vaughan and $72.0 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 $2,056, than in Vaughan at $2,605. 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 $2,056 versus $2,605 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.