Cost of Living Comparison Between Winnipeg and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Winnipeg and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,188 per month in Winnipeg vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,222 per month in Winnipeg vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,257 per month in Winnipeg vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Winnipeg costs about 6% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Winnipeg and Montreal sit above the global median – Winnipeg by 63%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.34 CA$22.72

$15.92 CA$22.14

2.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 CA$91.4

$73.1 CA$102

-10.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.53

$11.15 CA$15.50

0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.46

$3.80 CA$5.29

3.16%

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

$2.23 CA$3.10

$2.18 CA$3.03

2.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.59

$1.46 CA$2.03

27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 CA$7.59

$6.12 CA$8.51

-10.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.95

$6.78 CA$9.42

-5.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$2.33 CA$3.24

-34.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$3.39 CA$4.72

-34.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.63

$3.73 CA$5.19

-10.72%

Eggs

$3.34 CA$4.65

$3.38 CA$4.70

-1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 CA$14.85

$16.25 CA$22.60

-34.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.80 CA$16.41

$11.54 CA$16.05

2.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 CA$25.71

$15.24 CA$21.19

21.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.57

$3.74 CA$5.20

6.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$1.70 CA$2.37

-19.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.02

$4.11 CA$5.71

-12.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.77

$4.35 CA$6.05

-21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.73

$2.71 CA$3.76

-0.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.51

$2.62 CA$3.64

-3.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.37

$2.25 CA$3.13

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.73 CA$2.40

-12.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.09 CA$22.38

$13.31 CA$18.51

20.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.09 CA$18.21

$10.78 CA$15.00

21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 CA$4.48

$3.01 CA$4.19

6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 CA$4.93

$3.46 CA$4.82

2.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.38

$2.74 CA$3.81

-11.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.5 CA$118

$72.7 CA$101

16.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.52

$3.63 CA$5.05

-10.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 CA$1.74

$1.46 CA$2.03

-14.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.62 CA$37.02

$33.44 CA$46.50

-20.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 CA$1.44

$1.21 CA$1.69

-14.88%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

0.85%

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

$21.8K CA$30.3K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

0.34%

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

$155 CA$215

$76.0 CA$106

103.79%

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

$42.48 CA$59.1

$35.72 CA$49.68

18.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 CA$85.6

$42.86 CA$59.6

43.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.10 CA$57.2

$42.92 CA$59.7

-4.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.74 CA$46.92

$17.23 CA$23.97

95.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 CA$17.90

$11.09 CA$15.42

16.05%

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

$978 CA$1,361

$620 CA$862

57.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.8K

$5,834 CA$8,114

106.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.12 CA$66.9

$62.7 CA$87.1

-23.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.40 CA$59.0

$44.41 CA$61.8

-4.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 CA$113

$101 CA$140

-19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$159

$119 CA$166

-3.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 CA$1,315

$1,211 CA$1,684

-21.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 CA$1,405

$960 CA$1,334

5.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,497 CA$2,081

$2,035 CA$2,831

-26.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 CA$2,132

$1,589 CA$2,210

-3.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,372 CA$3,299

$5,181 CA$7,205

-54.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,416 CA$3,360

$3,934 CA$5,470

-38.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 CA$3,597

$2,960 CA$4,116

-12.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

5.01

20.16%

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

Last update for Winnipeg: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $945 in Winnipeg 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 14% higher in Montreal, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Winnipeg versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $392 – making Winnipeg 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

Winnipeg vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Winnipeg costs about 6% 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 $3,282 per month in Winnipeg 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 9% cheaper in Winnipeg – 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 $66.0 in Winnipeg 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 Winnipeg at $2,188. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Winnipeg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,188 in Winnipeg. 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, Winnipeg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.