Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Winnipeg and Montreal

For one person, living costs are similar in Winnipeg and in Montreal: $2,056 and $2,018 a month, rent and utilities included.

99

Cost of Living Index in Winnipeg
Learn more

Winnipeg Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
Learn more

Montreal Living Index

Jump to prices

Winnipeg

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,056

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Winnipeg and in Montreal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Winnipeg and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,056 per month in Winnipeg vs $2,018 in Montreal, rent included.

Winnipeg $2,056
Montreal $2,018

A couple spends around $3,021 per month in Winnipeg vs $3,085 in Montreal, rent included.

Winnipeg $3,021
Montreal $3,085

A family of three spends $3,985 per month in Winnipeg vs $4,152 in Montreal, rent included.

Winnipeg $3,985
Montreal $4,152

Winnipeg costs about 2% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Winnipeg and Montreal sit above the global median – Winnipeg by 52%, Montreal by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.07 CA$19.89

$18.82 CA$26.61

-25.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.9 CA$87.5

$70.3 CA$99.4

-11.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$14.93

$10.66 CA$15.06

-0.94%

Cappuccino

$3.64 CA$5.14

$3.84 CA$5.43

-5.21%

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

$2.14 CA$3.03

$1.92 CA$2.71

11.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.59

$1.54 CA$2.18

18.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$8.14

$6.23 CA$8.81

-7.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 CA$8.41

$7.10 CA$10.03

-16.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 CA$1.97

$2.31 CA$3.27

-39.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 CA$3.08

$3.14 CA$4.44

-30.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.50

$3.21 CA$4.54

-0.93%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.95

$3.52 CA$4.97

-0.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 CA$13.69

$12.81 CA$18.11

-24.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 CA$14.96

$11.46 CA$16.20

-7.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 CA$22.03

$13.39 CA$18.92

16.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.57

$3.14 CA$4.43

25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.88

$1.44 CA$2.03

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.86

$3.47 CA$4.91

-0.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.47

$3.07 CA$4.34

2.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.17

$1.90 CA$2.69

17.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.71

$1.77 CA$2.50

48.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.54

$2.34 CA$3.31

6.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 CA$1.78

$1.55 CA$2.19

-18.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.54 CA$20.55

$11.38 CA$16.09

27.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 CA$16.50

$10.63 CA$15.03

9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.95

$2.27 CA$3.21

22.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.90

$2.82 CA$3.99

22.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.38

$2.66 CA$3.76

-10.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 CA$119

$77.3 CA$109

9.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 CA$4.00

$3.20 CA$4.53

-11.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CA$1.83

$1.48 CA$2.09

-12.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.27 CA$34.31

$32.88 CA$46.48

-26.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.59

$1.34 CA$1.90

-15.67%

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

$27.5K CA$38.9K

$28.2K CA$39.8K

-2.24%

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

$19.6K CA$27.8K

0.04%

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

$158 CA$223

$76.0 CA$107

107.94%

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

$32.96 CA$46.59

$33.95 CA$48.00

-2.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.28 CA$68.3

$42.31 CA$59.8

14.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.35 CA$58.5

$29.76 CA$42.07

38.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.48 CA$41.68

$20.28 CA$28.67

45.36%

Cinema Ticket

$10.72 CA$15.15

$11.15 CA$15.77

-3.86%

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

$967 CA$1,368

$507 CA$717

90.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K CA$25.4K

$16.1K CA$22.7K

11.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.54 CA$60.1

$57.6 CA$81.4

-26.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.52 CA$58.7

$37.58 CA$53.1

10.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 CA$97.8

$91.9 CA$130

-24.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 CA$125

$110 CA$155

-19.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 CA$1,336

$1,260 CA$1,782

-25.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$968 CA$1,369

$948 CA$1,340

2.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 CA$2,224

$2,137 CA$3,021

-26.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 CA$2,194

$1,614 CA$2,281

-3.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,310 CA$3,265

$4,960 CA$7,011

-53.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 CA$3,368

$3,838 CA$5,425

-37.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,490 CA$3,520

$2,827 CA$3,997

-11.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

4.48

-0.67%

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

Last update for Winnipeg: October 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Winnipeg

$968 47.1%

Montreal

$948 47% 2.1% $21

Groceries & Markets

Winnipeg

$330 16%

Montreal

$346 17.2% 5.1% $17

Eating Out

Winnipeg

$244 11.9%

Montreal

$288 14.3% 17.7% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Winnipeg

$239 11.6%

Montreal

$152 7.5% 36.4% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Winnipeg

$109 5.3%

Montreal

$133 6.6% 22.6% $25

Getting Around

Winnipeg

$103 5%

Montreal

$99 4.9% 4.5% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

Winnipeg

$63 3.1%

Montreal

$52 2.6% 17.1% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $945 in Winnipeg versus $1,260 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 $62.0 in Winnipeg versus $70.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $346 – making Winnipeg the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Winnipeg

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

04:55 4:55 AM

05:55 5:55 AM

1 h ahead of Winnipeg

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

663,617

1,762,949

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Winnipeg Montreal 1,820 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Winnipeg
Montreal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 2% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,085 per month in Winnipeg and $3,027 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 5% 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 $62.0 in Winnipeg and $70.0 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 $2,018, than in Winnipeg at $2,056. 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 $2,018 versus $2,056 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.