Cost of Living Comparison Between Windsor and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Windsor and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,389 per month in Windsor vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,392 per month in Windsor vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,395 per month in Windsor vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Windsor costs about 16% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Windsor and Montreal sit above the global median – Windsor by 78%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.23 CA$15.55

$15.92 CA$22.05

-29.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$103

$73.1 CA$101

1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.48

$11.15 CA$15.43

0.27%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.77

$3.80 CA$5.26

9.74%

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

$2.09 CA$2.89

$2.18 CA$3.01

-4.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.60

$1.46 CA$2.02

28.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 CA$7.08

$6.12 CA$8.48

-16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 CA$8.69

$6.78 CA$9.38

-7.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 CA$2.56

$2.33 CA$3.22

-20.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 CA$3.00

$3.39 CA$4.69

-35.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.47

$3.73 CA$5.16

5.90%

Eggs

$3.18 CA$4.40

$3.38 CA$4.68

-5.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 CA$14.85

$16.25 CA$22.50

-33.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.86 CA$15.04

$11.54 CA$15.98

-5.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 CA$19.22

$15.24 CA$21.10

-8.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.44

$3.74 CA$5.18

5.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 CA$1.43

$1.70 CA$2.36

-39.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.62

$4.11 CA$5.68

-18.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.31

$4.35 CA$6.02

-11.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.69

$2.71 CA$3.75

-28.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CA$2.83

$2.62 CA$3.62

-21.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.24

$2.25 CA$3.12

4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$1.73 CA$2.39

-12.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.11 CA$18.15

$13.31 CA$18.43

-1.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 CA$16.14

$10.78 CA$14.93

8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$3.01 CA$4.17

-3.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 CA$3.92

$3.46 CA$4.80

-18.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.8 CA$126

$72.7 CA$101

24.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 CA$4.63

$3.63 CA$5.03

-7.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.46 CA$2.02

-4.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.27 CA$30.84

$33.44 CA$46.30

-33.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.21 CA$1.68

-9.09%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

1.05%

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

$24.7K CA$34.2K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

14.05%

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

$202 CA$279

$76.0 CA$105

165.36%

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

$54.2 CA$75.1

$35.72 CA$49.46

51.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 CA$84.1

$42.86 CA$59.4

41.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.96 CA$63.6

$42.92 CA$59.4

7.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.00 CA$36.00

$17.23 CA$23.86

50.90%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 CA$13.93

$11.09 CA$15.35

-9.29%

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

$512 CA$709

$620 CA$858

-17.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,450 CA$6,161

$5,834 CA$8,078

-23.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.34 CA$51.7

$62.7 CA$86.8

-40.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.19 CA$48.72

$44.41 CA$61.5

-20.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 CA$114

$101 CA$139

-18.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 CA$110

$119 CA$165

-33.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 CA$1,700

$1,211 CA$1,677

1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 CA$1,759

$960 CA$1,329

32.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,742 CA$2,413

$2,035 CA$2,818

-14.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 CA$2,572

$1,589 CA$2,201

16.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,012 CA$4,170

$5,181 CA$7,173

-41.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,085 CA$4,271

$3,934 CA$5,446

-21.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,047 CA$4,219

$2,960 CA$4,098

2.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

5.01

32.93%

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

Last update for Windsor: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,228 in Windsor versus $1,211 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 3% higher in Windsor, 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 $74.0 in Windsor versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $336 in Windsor vs $392 in Montreal – so Windsor 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

Windsor vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Windsor costs about 16% 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 $3,584 per month in Windsor and $3,094 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 16% cheaper in Windsor – 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 $74.0 in Windsor 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 Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,063, than in Windsor at $2,389. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Windsor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,389 in Windsor. 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, Windsor makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.