Cost of Living in Montreal, Canada

Candidates who intend to study, work, or settle in Montreal, Canada must know how much it costs to live. The average cost of living in Montreal is C$3,275 per month. For a family of four, the estimated monthly cost is C$ 5,961, and for a single person, it would be C$3,114, excluding rent. The living cost in Montreal is generally more affordable than other major cities in Canada. The cost of living in Montreal is cheaper than 78% of cities in North America and is more expensive than in 67% of cities in the world.

Montreal is the second largest city in Canada and ranked #116 on the international cost of living index by city 2025.The city is home to world class universities and is global center for IT, and Finance. Most international students choose this place for higher studies for professional growth. So, if you are planning to study or live in Montreal, read this blog till the end as it tells you how much it can cost to live in montreal for newcomers. We provide all those expenses in detail to help you make an informed decision.

Note: Currency rate: 1C$ = 61.4066 INR, as per currency foreign exchange rate.

Details of Major Living Expenses in Montreal

The breakdown of major living expenses in Montreal across categories like Food, Housing, Transportation, clothing, personal care, child care, Entertainment, and other basic utilities is given below.

Food Expenses

Food expenses include Restaurant dining and grocery purchases. Let’s go through one by one.

Restaurant Dining 

The money spent on these expenses per month depends on the individual’s choice of preference like dining out at a restaurant (expensive or cheap) or ordering online from food delivery apps like DoorDash, Instacart, etc.

Item	Approximate Price	Price Range
Meals at less expensive restaurants	C$ 25.00	C$ 15.00 - C$ 40.00
Meals at mid-range restaurants	C$ 120.00	C$ 90.00 - C$ 200.00
McMeals or Combo meals at McDonald's	C$15.00	C$ 14.00 - C$ 18.00
Pan pizza (6”) at Pizza Hut	C$ 6.49	C$ 6.49- C$ 8.99
Water (0.33 litre bottle)	C$ 2.10	C$ 1.90 - C$ 3.00
Coffee (regular/filter)	C$ 2.67	C$ 2.67- C$ 4.22
Cappuccino	C$ 5.21	C$ 3.24 - C$ 6.80
Beer (500ml or 1 pt)	C$ 8.50	C$ 6.00 - C$ 11.00
1 bottle of red table wine	C$ 17	C$ - C$
2 litre Pepsi bottle	C$ 2.80	C$ 2.00 - C$ 4.00
Indian food (Veg & Non veg) per dish	C$ 11	C$ 11- C$ 19.54

Groceries

For grocery shopping, the cost varies depending on where you buy (like supermarkets, or online).

Grocery Items	Approximate Price	Price Range
Milk (1 lit)	C$ 2.89	C$ 2.00 - C$ 4.50
White Bread (1 loaf)	C$ 4.39	C$ 2.99 - C$ 6.99
White Rice (1 kg)	C$ 4.78	C$ 2.50 - C$ 8.82
Eggs (1 dozen)	C$ 4.55	C$ 3.25 - C$ 6.00
Cheese (200 gms)	C$ 16.90	C$ 10.00 - C$ 30.00
Apples (1 kilogram)	C$ 4.93	C$ 1.69 - C$ 7.72
Bananas (1 kilogram)	C$ 1.97	C$ 0.99 - C$ 3.50
Oranges (1 kilogram)	C$ 4.97	C$ 2.55 - C$ 8.82
Tomatoes (1 kilogram)	C$ 5.90	C$ 2.93 - C$ 8.82
Potatoes (1 kilogram)	C$ 2.68	C$ 1.00 - C$ 5.00
Onions (1 kilogram)	C$ 3.31	C$1.80 - C$ 5.51
Lettuce (1 head)	C$ 3.32	C$ 2.00 - C$ 5.00

Housing

Housing costs are the major contributor to your living expenses. When you move to a new city, the first thing that comes to mind is finding a decent living space. The housing prices vary depending on the accommodation type and neighborhood. Notably, Montreal is a relatively low-cost city compared to the other major Canadian cities.

Particulars	Approximate cost	Price Range
Monthly rent for 1 bedroom apartment in city center	C$ 1,682.25	C$ 1,400.00 - C$ 2,000.00
Monthly rent for 1 bedroom apartment outside of city center	C$ 1,321.94	C$ 1,000.00 - C$ 1,600.00
Monthly rent for 3 bedroom apartment in city center	C$ 2,967.57	C$ 2,500.00 - C$ 4,000.00
Monthly rent for 3 bedroom apartment outside of city center	C$ 2,151.32	C$ 1,600.00 - C$2,700.00
Price per square meter to buy an apartment in city center	C$ 10,245.98	C$ 8,595.00 - C$ 16,145.87
Price per square meter to buy an apartment outside city center	C$ 6,065.98	C$ 5,381.96 - C$ 11,840.30
Home insurance cost per year (for home owners)	C$ 1600	C$ 1600
Student housing off-campus (Ensuite/Studio) per month	C$ 600	C$ 600- C$ 900
student housing On-campus per month (Ensuite/studio)	C$ 800	C$ 800- C$ 1,500
Bachelor-style apartment (for 1 person) per month	C$ 1,162	C$ 1,162- C$ 1,536

Clothing

Clothing is an important factor in determining the cost of living. Whether you attend an international conference or a normal meeting, ensure your wardrobe is with quality dresses. To know the monthly expenses for clothing (local or branded), refer to the table below.

Particulars	Approximate cost	Price Range
1 pair of jeans (Levis 501 or similar)	C$ 89.03	C$ 50.00 - C$ 120.00
1 summer dress in retail chain stores (Zara, H&M, Gap, etc.)	C$ 62.91	C$ 30.00 - C$ 99.99
1 Pair of Sports shoes (Nike, Adidas, or equivalent)	C$ 122.93	C$ 90.00 - C$ 160.00
1 pair of Men’s leather Business Shoes	C$ 147.62	C$ 80.00 - C$ 200.00

Transportation

Monthly expenses on transportation mainly depend on the place you travel, distance of your workspace, and university. Montreal has a well-connected STM (Société de transport de Montréal) public transport system comprising buses, streetcars, subways, etc. 

Particulars	Approximate cost	Price Range
One-way Ticket (Local Transportation)	C$ 3.75	C$ 3.50 - C$ 4.00
Monthly Bus Pass (Public Transport)	C$ 97.00	C$ 94.00 - C$ 100.00
Cycle rent (per day)	C$ 49	C$ 39- C$ 49
Taxi fare (basic fee)	C$ 4.10	C$ 4.10
Taxi fare per kilometer	C$ 2.05	C$ 1.70 - C$ 2.05
Taxi fare charged for standing and waiting time (per hour)	C$ 46.20	C$ 46.20
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car)	C$ 33,978.00	C$ 32,000.00 - C$ 35,000.00
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car)	C$ 27,159.69	C$ 25,000.00 - C$ 30,000.00
Gasoline (1 liter)	C$ 1.71	C$ 1.55 - C$ 1.85
Car Parking Price, per day	C$ 8	C$ 8.00- C$ 20.00
Car parking price per hour	C$ 2.50	C$ 2.00 - C$3.00
Car Parking per month	C$ 180	C$ 180 - C$ 400
Renting a car, (per day)	C$ 14	C$ 14.00- C$ 26.00
Renting a bike, (per day)	C$ 45	C$ 45 - C$ 60

Basic Utilities

Understanding how much you spend on basic utilities can help you budget your living expenses that suit your lifestyle.

Particulars	Approximate cost	Price Range
Monthly expense of basic utilities (Electricity, Cooling, Heating, Garbage, Water)	C$ 106.76	C$ 75.00 - C$ 160.00
Internet plan price (60 Mbps or more, Unlimited data, Cable/ADSL)	C$ 60.41	C$ 50.00 - C$ 80.00
Mobile Phone Prepaid Tariff	C$ 53.89	C$ 35.00 - C$ 76.00
House cleaning services per hour	C$ 25.00	C$ 25 - C$ 50
TV 40” flat screen	C$ 414.00	C$ 180 - C$ 848
Books and Supplies (per semester)	C$ 479.70	C$ 450 - C$ 1000

Personal Care

Maintaining good personal care and hygiene is most important for good health and happiness. Knowing the details of these expenses enables you to create a budget that aligns with your way of living.

Particulars	Approximate cost	Price Range
Medicine for cold and body pains for 6 days (like tylenol, frenadol,	C$ 11.00	C$ 11- C$ 18
Prescription medications like Antibiotics	C$ 24.00	C$ 18- C$ 390
15-minute short visit to a private doctor	C$ 158.00	C$ 150- C$ 299
1 box of 32 tampons	C$ 7.00	C$ 7.00- C$ 14
Hair Shampoo	C$ 6.00	C$ 4.31- C$ 9
Deodorant	C$ 5.79	C$ 5- C$ 14.97 up
Toilet paper, 4 rolls	C$ 5.51	C$ 2.89- C$ 5.51
Toothpaste (1 tube)	C$ 4.08	C$ 3.49- C$ 4.54
Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.)	C$ 12.00	C$ 12- C$ 25
Men’s haircut in expat areas of the city	C$ 30.00	C$ 10 - C$ 80
Women’s haircut in expat areas of the city	C$ 44	C$ 30 - C$ 91

Child Care

If you are moving abroad with your kids, finding a good school or kindergarten is important. The monthly or yearly tuition fees of the educational institutions also impact living expenses for families.

Particulars	Approximate cost	Price Range
Private Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full day, Monthly fee for 1 child	C$ 955.33	C$ 680.00 - C$ 1,264.00
International primary school, yearly for 1 child	C$ 10,316.67	C$ 5,000.00 - C$ 20,000.00
Infant care (birth to 18 months), daily fee	C$ 35	C$ 35 - C$ 60
Toddle care (18 to 30 months), daily fee	C$ 35	C$ 35 - C$ 60

Sports & Entertainment

Entertainment cost primarily depends on the place you visit and the time you spend over there.

Particulars	Approximate cost	Price Range
Fitness Club, Monthly fee for 1 Adult	C$ 44.40	C$ 15.00 - C$ 90.00
Tennis court Rent on weekend (per hour)	C$ 22.50	C$ 11.00 - C$ 35.00
1 seat at Cinema hall (International release) cost	C$ 15.00	C$ 15.00 - C$ 18.00
1 cocktail drink in downtown club	C$ 18	C$ 2 - C$ 18
`1 beer price in neighborhood pub (500ml or 1pt.)	C$ 6	C$ 6 - C$ 8

Briefly, the cost of living in Montreal is influenced by the factors mentioned above. The prices represented above are very reliable and are based on abundant and consistent data. 

Average Cost of Living in Montreal using Statistics Model

The average cost of living in Montreal for an international student would be CA$ 1,406 per month excluding, tuition fees. However, this is a general estimate,  and it's important to understand that personal lifestyles can greatly influence these numbers. Refer the graph below.

Tips to Budget on Cost of living in Montreal

It is really important for Indian students to be able to take care of their own living costs. Spending wisely helps to handle their living expenses better. Here are some tips to help them save money:

• Eat home-cooked meals.
• Use the internet in the campus library to complete online works.
• Do shopping from the thrift stores
• Buy the second-hand books of your interest to study.
• If your destination is nearby, prefer to walk or cycle.
• Find a shared and an affordable accommodation.

Also Check:

• Cost of living in Canada
• Cost of living in Toronto

How expensive is Montreal Compared to other Top Cities?

Living in Montreal is quite affordable. The average income of around C$50,120 per year in the province of Quebec city is sufficient to cover living expenses in Montreal. When it comes to comparison of Montreal with other top cities, Montreal is 133.1% more expensive than Bangalore. On average, rent in Montreal is 133.1% higher than in Bangalore. The restaurant prices in Montreal are 24.3% higher than in Singapore. Furthermore, the monthly rent in Montreal is 13.7 % higher than that in Tokyo. In contrast, the consumer prices in Montreal are 19.5% lower than those in London.

City Name	Cost of Living (including rent)	Cost of Living Index
Montreal, QC	6,754 C$	64.96
montreal, ON	8,300 C$	70.53
Vancouver, BC	8,977.8 C$	$75.31
Edmonton, AB	6,200 C$	$64.23
Calgary, AB	7,400 C$	71.77
Ottawa	7,700 C$	72.53
New York, NY	13,822 C$	100

Overall, the quality of life in Montreal is good, due to its top-notch health care, education, affordability, friendly population, cultural richness, and fulfilling lifestyle, making it an attractive destination for residents seeking a good standard of living.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the average cost of living in Montreal for indian students?

The average cost of living in Montreal for international students ranges from CAD 1,406 to CAD 3,275 per month, including rent. This average is based on multiple factors like accommodation, transportation, groceries and entertainment expenses.

2. What is the average cost of living in Montreal for Indian families?

The average cost of living in Montreal for a family of four is approximately C$ 3,721 (INR 2,28,760) per month, depending on one’s lifestyle and preferences.

3. What salary is needed to live comfortably in Montreal?

People living in Montreal need to make at least $ 5,647 per month to manage things like housing, transportation, groceries and entertainment.

4. Is it expensive to live in Montreal?

The cost of living in montreal is much lower than the other Canadian cities. There are many affordable properties for sale, rent that are well suited for a family life.