The Living Costs in Montreal

Truth be told, the living costs in Montreal are pretty high. It's not exactly the most expensive city in the world, but that doesn't mean it's cheap here either. For one thing, finding a place where the rent practically costs your entire monthly salary is pretty common. But don't worry! They're the most expensive luxury apartments in Montreal. For your other regular costs, you can probably afford them too but how much that's left in your bank account remains to be seen. Perhaps if you know more about the living costs here, you'd be wiser with your daily and monthly expenses.

Costs of Renting in Montreal

Let's start with the rent. Depending on the location of your luxury apartment in Montreal, the common monthly rental fees here range from a minimum of C$850.00 to a maximum of C$3,100.00. Those near the city center are the more expensive ones. Even just a one-bedroom flat will already cost you around C$1,200.00 to C$1,800.00 per month. Meanwhile, a three-bedroom place along the outskirts of Montreal typically costs around C$1,450.00 to C$2,220.00 per month. With all that said, seeing as the average monthly salary (with the taxes deducted) is around C$3,782.12, it's safe to say that the rent here is far from cheap. But it isn't all that expensive either.

Costs of Buying Property in Montreal

What if you want to buy property in Montreal instead of renting it? Would this save you more money? The answer is no, not necessarily. The price for an entire home, regardless of which neighborhood in Montreal it's located in, is quite high. For a place near the city center, it'll cost you C$6,000.00 to C$10,763.91 per square meter. And even if it's far from the central parts of the city, the price per square meter will still cost around C$3,531.96 to C$6,727.44. Now, imagine when you add up all the square meters of the property. Do you think you can afford all that?

Utilities Costs

On the bright side, your utility expenses wouldn't be that high. As far as living costs in Montreal are concerned, these are what you need to stay on top of. The basic costs—which include electricity, water, heating, garbage disposal, and the like—range from a minimum of C$70.00 to C$200 per month. But if you consume more energy, it's only natural that your monthly expenses will also go higher than that. As for your wifi connection at home, this will cost you around C$50.00 to C$97.00 per month, regardless of which Canadian mobile network you went for.

Food Costs

Now, let's talk about food costs. Does it cost a lot of money to buy groceries in Montreal? Truth be told, it's not! Although it depends on where you shop, for the most part, food is pretty affordable here. In fact, you can already get by with just a little over a hundred Canadian dollars worth of groceries. Or C$125.40, to be more precise. This will already include a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread, 1.5 liters of bottled water, and a kilogram each of various fruits, vegetables, and meats. It will even last you around one to two weeks! That doesn't sound too bad, right?

Dining Costs

What if you prefer to eat out? Cooking for yourself is all well and good but at times, you have no choice but to eat out. Will this drain your Canadian bank account? Well, just like with food, it depends on where you go. To be more economical about it, you can always go to inexpensive restaurants. This will only cost you around C$14.00 to C$40.00 per meal. And when you want to go on a dinner date with your special someone, a three-course meal in a mid-range hotspot will cost you a minimum of C$60.00 to C$170.00 for both of you. Not a bad deal!

Transportation Costs

Montreal's public transport is very efficient. You can go on any system and it will wake you to your destination on time or possibly even a little bit earlier. But what about the costs? Is it expensive to commute here? The answer is no, not that much. In regards to the many living costs in Montreal, transportation is among the lowest. A public transport ticket will only cost you around C$3.50 to C$3.75. So if it's a round-trip, it will only cost you C$7.00 to $7.50. And what about gas? Won't that be pretty pricey nowadays? Well, a liter here would only cost you around C$1.70 to C$2.19.

Clothing Costs

In the whole grand scheme of things, clothing doesn't cost all that much in Montreal. Of course, if you buy from luxury labels, you'll have to spend a fortune. But if you only focus on the more affordable brands, you can already get so much with so little. Shopping at a high-street store, for instance, will only cost you C$25.00 to C$75.00 per piece. Want a new pair of sneakers from a famous sportswear brand? Prepare to pay around C$80.00 to C$170.00 for them. And what about some nice leather shoes or heels? How much will they cost? Approximately around C$100.00 to C$300.00 per pair.

Leisure Costs

You don't only have to pay for the necessities when you're living in Montreal. You deserve to go out and have some fun too. Perhaps move your body and get into fitness, for example. After all, the monthly fee for membership in a mid-range gym would only be around C$14.00 to C$100.00. Want to play sports on the weekends? Rent a court! That'll only cost you about C$10.00 to C$32.00 per hour. And if you want to go to the movies, a ticket typically costs around C$12.00 to C$20.00 each. You're gonna have to pay extra for the popcorn and drinks!

Childcare & Education Costs

And finally, there are your childcare and education costs. If you're moving to Montreal with your entire family, these ought to be among your first priorities! You can sign up your toddler in a private preschool that'll cost you around C$500.00 to C$1,100.00 per month. And that's just for one child! Then for their primary school education, the tuition fee of an international school in Montreal ranges from C$5,000.00 to C$18,800.00 per year. Again, that's just for one child. What more if you have a ton of them? Their schooling will cost you a fortune! But it's all worth it if it's for their future, right?



The living costs in Montreal are more complex than you think. Staying in the city is pretty pricey, but if you break it all down, you'll discover how you can save up and make sure you don't drain your bank account while you're here.