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Cost of living in Montreal
Rent, everyday prices and the gross salary you may need to cover living costs in Montreal.
One person, a month
CAD 1,460
Living costs excluding rent
Family of four, a month
CAD 5,294
Living costs excluding rent
One-bedroom rent, centre
CAD 1,876
A month
Gross salary, one person
CAD 43,000
to cover living costs in Montreal
Montreal's cost of living at a glance
Montreal is among the less expensive cities in both Canada and North America. The estimated monthly costs for a single person in Montreal are CAD 1,460, excluding rent. Living costs for a family of four are CAD 5,294 a month, excluding rent.
A single person in Montreal may need a gross salary of at least CAD 43,000 a year to cover estimated living costs, renting a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre and saving nothing.
One person's monthly costs
Numbeo household estimate in CAD, with the rent of a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre
Source: Numbeo, 1 June 2026.
How Montreal compares
One person's monthly costs in Montreal, excluding rent, are 3.6% lower than in the typical city in Canada and 15.3% higher than in the typical city worldwide.
Where Montreal ranks
In Canada
35th of 67
One person's monthly costs including rent, most expensive first.
In North America
269th of 418
Cities in North America with a Numbeo estimate, most expensive first.
Worldwide
74th percentile
Costs the same as or more than 74% of 1,942 cities: around the middle of the cost range.
One-bedroom rent, centre
36th of 67
Cities in Canada, most expensive first.
Monthly costs against the typical city
- Montreal
- Typical national city
- Typical city worldwide
Tap a line or a table row to read its three amounts.
| Monthly cost | Montreal | Typical national city | Typical city worldwide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | CAD 1,876 | CAD 1,908 −1.7% | CAD 1,043 +79.9% |
| Groceries | CAD 500 | CAD 500 0.0% | CAD 395 +26.6% |
| Eating out | CAD 294 | CAD 265 +10.9% | CAD 222 +32.4% |
| Transport | CAD 108 | CAD 96.96 +11.2% | CAD 56.18 +91.9% |
| Utilities | CAD 219 | CAD 289 −24.0% | CAD 245 −10.6% |
| Leisure | CAD 86.76 | CAD 87.68 −1.0% | CAD 87.04 −0.3% |
| Total excluding rent | CAD 1,460 | CAD 1,514 −3.6% | CAD 1,266 +15.3% |
| Total including rent | CAD 3,336 | CAD 3,376 −1.2% | CAD 2,350 +42.0% |
Typical = the median of 67 cities in Canada and 1,942 cities worldwide.
Find another city
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Explore prices in Montreal
The average price for each item, and the range from the lowest to the highest price people have reported.
Renting in Montreal
Montreal is the 32nd cheapest city in Canada for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre. The closest-priced city in Canada is West Kelowna.
A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs CAD 1,876 a month.
Outside the centre, a one-bedroom apartment typically costs CAD 1,389 a month.
A one-bedroom apartment in the centre is around 35% more expensive to rent than one outside the centre.
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment in the city centre Monthly rent | CAD 1,876 | CAD 1,444– |
| 1-bed apartment outside the centre Monthly rent | CAD 1,389 | CAD 1,031– |
| 3-bed apartment in the city centre Monthly rent | CAD 3,180 | CAD 2,579– |
| 3-bed apartment outside the centre Monthly rent | CAD 2,331 | CAD 1,960– |
| Price per m² in the city centre | CAD 7,073 | CAD 6,051– |
| Price per m² outside the centre | CAD 5,456 | CAD 3,816– |
Cost of everyday items in Montreal
Groceries in Montreal are around 1% more expensive than the average for Canada, while eating out is around 13% more expensive than the country average.
A litre of milk typically costs CAD 3.23.
A 500g loaf of fresh white bread typically costs CAD 4.68.
A pack of 20 cigarettes typically costs CAD 16.50.
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Milk, 1 litre | CAD 3.23 | CAD 2.23– |
| Fresh white bread, 500g | CAD 4.68 | CAD 3.09– |
| Eggs, 12 large | CAD 5.10 | CAD 3.71– |
| Local cheese, 1kg | CAD 18.51 | CAD 8.46– |
| Chicken fillets, 1kg | CAD 18.12 | CAD 9.28– |
| Beef round, 1kg | CAD 21.49 | CAD 13.30– |
| Apples, 1kg | CAD 5.15 | CAD 2.06– |
| Oranges, 1kg | CAD 4.75 | CAD 2.26– |
| Potatoes, 1kg | CAD 3.65 | CAD 1.03– |
| Lettuce, 1 head | CAD 3.33 | CAD 1.81– |
| White rice, 1kg | CAD 4.58 | CAD 2.58– |
| Tomatoes, 1kg | CAD 3.98 | CAD 2.06– |
| Bananas, 1kg | CAD 2.30 | CAD 1.52– |
| Onions, 1kg | CAD 2.81 | CAD 1.03– |
| Water, 1.5 litre bottle | CAD 2.02 | CAD 0.93– |
| Mid-range bottle of wine | CAD 15.46 | CAD 11.35– |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 litre bottle | CAD 3.60 | CAD 2.06– |
| Imported beer, 0.33 litre bottle | CAD 4.54 | CAD 2.37– |
| Cigarettes, 20 pack | CAD 16.50 | CAD 12.75– |
Eating out in Montreal
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | CAD 25.79 | CAD 15.46– |
| Three-course meal for two | CAD 113 | CAD 77.35– |
| Fast food combo meal | CAD 15.87 | CAD 15.46– |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 litre draught | CAD 8.25 | CAD 5.15– |
| Imported beer, 0.33 litre bottle | CAD 10.31 | CAD 6.70– |
| Soft drink, 0.33 litre bottle | CAD 2.75 | CAD 2.06– |
| Water, 0.33 litre bottle | CAD 2.19 | CAD 1.55– |
| Cappuccino | CAD 5.59 | CAD 4.13– |
Transport in Montreal
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| One-way public transport ticket | CAD 3.86 | CAD 3.82– |
| Monthly public transport pass | CAD 108 | CAD 103– |
| Gasoline, 1 litre | CAD 1.74 | CAD 1.53– |
| Taxi start | CAD 4.90 | CAD 4.23– |
| Taxi, per km | CAD 2.12 | CAD 2.12– |
| Taxi waiting, 1 hour | CAD 47.66 | CAD 41.25– |
| Volkswagen Golf, new | CAD 40,824 | CAD 31,458– |
| Toyota Corolla sedan, new | CAD 30,916 | CAD 25,951– |
Utilities in Montreal
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Basic utilities for an 85m² apartment Monthly | CAD 126 | CAD 82.52– |
| Broadband internet Monthly | CAD 61.75 | CAD 46.41– |
| Mobile phone plan Monthly | CAD 53.14 | CAD 33.01– |
How is Montreal for families?
A family of four with two adults and two children may need a gross household income of CAD 116,000 a year in Montreal, excluding childcare costs.
Private preschool or kindergarten typically costs CAD 772 a month.
A three-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs CAD 3,180 a month.
Montreal scores 67/100 on Numbeo's safety index.
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Family of four, excluding rent Monthly, Numbeo household estimate | CAD 5,294 | Not applicable |
| Family of four, including rent Monthly, Numbeo household estimate | CAD 8,474 | Not applicable |
| Private preschool or kindergarten Monthly | CAD 772 | CAD 206– |
| International primary school Annual | CAD 24,635 | CAD 14,440– |
Leisure and clothing in Montreal
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Gym membership Monthly | CAD 53.75 | CAD 17.53– |
| Tennis court rental, 1 hour | CAD 33.01 | CAD 15.46– |
| Cinema ticket | CAD 17.25 | CAD 14.44– |
| Jeans | CAD 78.66 | CAD 30.94– |
| Summer dress from a chain store | CAD 60.65 | CAD 36.10– |
| Nike running shoes | CAD 138 | CAD 77.35– |
| Men's leather business shoes | CAD 165 | CAD 82.52– |
Source: Numbeo, 1 June 2026.
What salary do I need to live in Montreal?
By combining Numbeo's living-cost estimates with the tax rates in Canada, we can estimate the gross salary you would need to live in Montreal. Use the calculator below to see how much you would need to live in Montreal, and where your money goes.
Recommended gross salary
CAD 43,325
Needed to support 1 adult and no children in Montreal, living in a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre.
- Take-home pay
- CAD 34,184
- Living costs
- CAD 34,184
- Tax and contributions
- CAD 9,141
Where your salary goes
- Living costsCAD 34,18478.9%
- Income tax and contributionsCAD 9,14121.1%
| Operator | Item | A year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | CAD 43,325 | |
| − | Income tax and contributions | CAD 9,141 |
| = | Take-home pay | CAD 34,184 |
| − | Rent | CAD 16,666 |
| − | Groceries | CAD 5,997 |
| − | Eating out | CAD 3,530 |
| − | Transport | CAD 1,293 |
| − | Utilities | CAD 2,633 |
| − | Leisure | CAD 1,041 |
| − | Other estimated costs | CAD 3,024 |
| = | Left over: savings target | CAD 0 |
CAD 43,325 gross salary modelled as one employment income gives a 21.1% effective tax rate and CAD 9,141 estimated deductions a year. Use our salary tax calculator for a more detailed estimate.
What the estimate includes
- Rent for your housing choice and Numbeo's household living costs for your household size
- National income tax for 2026
- Employee social contributions, simplified
What it doesn't include
- Regional, state or local income tax
- Joint filing, partner income and household allowances
- Age, pension, expat-regime or special-residency rules
- Bonuses, benefits and other income
- Child care or school unless you choose it
Don't agree with our estimates? Help us improve our cost-of-living model.
How each cost is worked out
Rent. The selected one-bedroom apartment outside the centre in Montreal costs an estimated CAD 1,389 per month. CAD 1,389 per month × 12 months = CAD 16,666 a year.
Groceries. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Montreal spends an estimated CAD 500 on groceries per month. CAD 500 per month × 12 months = CAD 5,997 a year.
Eating out. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Montreal spends an estimated CAD 294 on eating out per month. CAD 294 per month × 12 months = CAD 3,530 a year.
Transport. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Montreal spends an estimated CAD 108 on transport per month. CAD 108 per month × 12 months = CAD 1,293 a year.
Utilities. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Montreal spends an estimated CAD 219 on utilities per month. CAD 219 per month × 12 months = CAD 2,633 a year.
Leisure. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Montreal spends an estimated CAD 86.76 on leisure per month. CAD 86.76 per month × 12 months = CAD 1,041 a year.
Other estimated costs. Numbeo's household estimate for miscellaneous costs: this may include things like clothing, shoes and entertainment costs. CAD 252 per month × 12 months = CAD 3,024 a year.
See the prices behind each category · How living costs and salaries are calculated
Tax estimate assumptions
Tax year 2026. One resident employee and one employment income are assumed. Federal tax only, effective from January 1, 2026. Lowest bracket rate reduced to 14% (from 14.5% in 2025). Thresholds indexed by 2%. Excludes Provincial/Territorial tax.
Important
This calculator gives an estimate of the income needed to cover living costs. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. It uses Numbeo prices as of 1 June 2026, Canada's tax rules for 2026 and Wise exchange rates of 21 October 2026, and models one employment income. Check your figures with the salary tax calculator or the official rules in PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries / CRA.
Figures for 1 adult, outside the centre, no savings target.
Cost of living in Montreal: common questions
Is Montreal expensive to live in?
Montreal is among the less expensive cities in both Canada and North America.
A single person spends about CAD 1,460 a month excluding rent, against CAD 1,514 in the typical city in Canada (the median of 67 cities, Numbeo, as of 1 June 2026).
Worldwide, Montreal costs the same as or more than 74% of the 1,942 cities with a Numbeo household estimate, which makes it around the middle of the cost range.
What salary do you need to live in Montreal?
A single person may need a gross salary of at least CAD 43,000 a year to cover estimated living costs in Montreal, renting a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre and saving nothing.
This is an estimate from Numbeo prices as of 1 June 2026 and Canada's tax rules for 2026. Use the salary calculator to add your household, housing and a savings target.
How much is rent in Montreal?
A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs CAD 1,876 a month, and CAD 1,389 outside the centre, according to Numbeo averages as of 1 June 2026.
A three-bedroom apartment costs about CAD 3,180 a month in the centre and CAD 2,331 outside it.
Montreal is the 32nd cheapest city in Canada for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre.
How much does a family spend in Montreal?
A family of four spends about CAD 5,294 a month on living costs excluding rent, or CAD 8,474 including rent, according to Numbeo's household estimate as of 1 June 2026.
With two adults earning and a three-bedroom home outside the centre, the household may need a gross income of CAD 116,000 a year, excluding childcare costs.
Private preschool or kindergarten typically costs CAD 772 a month per child.
How does Montreal compare with Canada's other cities?
Montreal ranks 35th of 67 cities in Canada for one person's monthly costs including rent, where 1st is the most expensive.
Excluding rent, one person's costs are 3.6% less than in the typical city in Canada.
Where this data comes from
- Living costs and prices
- Numbeo, snapshot of 1 June 2026
- Exchange rates
- Wise mid-market rates, 21 October 2026
- Tax rules
- Expatica salary tax calculator, Canada 2026
- Locations and population
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 1 October 2026
- Regions for continent ranks
- UN M49 regions
Important
All amounts are indicative estimates, not quotes or financial advice. Numbeo's prices are reported by users, so coverage and recency vary by city: check rents and prices locally before you commit to a move.
Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you click and make a purchase.
How living costs and salaries are calculated
- Your household size (adults and children, one to six people) picks Numbeo's household estimate for groceries, eating out, transport, utilities, leisure and rent.
- Rent is replaced by the price of a one-bedroom apartment (one or two people) or a three-bedroom apartment (three or more), in or outside the centre. A flatshare, for one adult without children, is a third of a three-bedroom home.
- "Other estimated costs" is Numbeo's household total less the named categories, not a separately reported price. Where a total is below its own categories, we use the categories, and a larger household's costs other than rent are never lower than a smaller household's.
- Child care and school are optional: preschool uses the city's monthly price for each child, international primary school its annual fee spread over 12 months. Children's ages, eligibility and public provision are not modelled.
- The salary is the gross income that leaves these costs, plus your savings target, after tax under Expatica's rules for Canada (2026). One adult has one employment income; two adults are two earners splitting it evenly, with no joint filing or household allowances. What the tax model covers is listed with the result.
- Numbeo's figures are in US dollars, converted with one set of Wise mid-market rates. Without them, amounts stay in US dollars and no salary is estimated.
How cities are compared and matched
- A typical city is the median of one person's monthly costs across the 67 cities in Canada in this guide and across the 1,942 cities worldwide with a Numbeo household estimate. Each row is its own median, so the rows do not add up.
- Ranks put the most expensive city first, and equal estimates share a rank. The worldwide percentile is the share of those 1,942 cities whose one-person monthly total, rent included, is the same or lower than Montreal's.
- Nearby cities are places in this guide, possibly across a border, by straight-line distance between GeoNames location points.
- Comparable cities are in the same GeoNames population band (under 100,000, 100,000–499,999, 500,000–999,999, or 1 million and above; a neighbouring band, labelled, when a band has too few countries), one per country, outside Canada and not already listed as nearby. Population years and boundaries vary, so the bands are rough size guides.
- The match score compares a single person's costs excluding rent and the rent of a central one-bedroom apartment. For each, we divide the lower city's price by the higher; the score is the square root of the two ratios multiplied together, × 100. If both prices are 80% of the other city's, the match is 80%; if both are twice as high, 50%. It measures how close the costs are, not which city is cheaper or how alike they are to live in.