Montrealers love to complain about the cost of living, and with good reason. Rents continue to climb, grocery bills keep growing, and paycheques have struggled to keep pace. For many, even a small outing can feel like a major expense.
But how does life in Montreal actually stack up against Canada’s two priciest cities?
We’ve compared Montreal to Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Quebec City before. This time, we’re putting it up against both Toronto and Vancouver. Using data from Numbeo (updated in October 2026), we broke down the essentials, from rent and groceries to transit and nights out, to see where your money goes further.
Spoiler: Montreal is cheaper overall, but the gap isn’t the same everywhere. And in some categories, it’s pretty much a tie.
Rent
According to Numbeo, a one-bedroom apartment in downtown Montreal costs an average of $1,775 a month. In Toronto, it’s $2,259, and in Vancouver, it climbs to $2,507. That’s a difference of about $484 a month compared to Toronto, and $732 compared to Vancouver.
Outside the city centre, the gap widens even more. A one-bedroom runs $1,375 in Montreal, compared to $2,020 in Toronto and $2,154 in Vancouver.
If you need more space, a three-bedroom downtown averages $3,054 in Montreal, $3,842 in Toronto and $4,442 in Vancouver. Living in Vancouver would set you back nearly $1,400 more a month for the same type of apartment.
Overall, Numbeo says rent is 31.2% higher in Toronto and 48.2% higher in Vancouver than it is in Montreal.
And if you’re thinking of buying, the price per square metre for an apartment downtown is $7,218 in Montreal, compared to $11,379 in Toronto and $11,679 in Vancouver.
Groceries
Grocery prices in Canada have surged by a staggering 33.0% since September 2020, according to the latest September 2026 Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from Statistics Canada. And no city is immune to those price jumps.
Toronto and Montreal are almost neck and neck. Numbeo says groceries are just 0.9% more expensive in Toronto. Vancouver is a different story, with grocery prices about 19% higher than in Montreal.
Here’s how some everyday items compare:
- Milk (1 L): $3.20 in Montreal vs $3.50 in Toronto and $3.12 in Vancouver
- Bread (500 g): $4.40 vs $3.83 and $3.65
- Eggs (12): $5.12 vs $5.01 and $5.82
- Chicken breast (1 kg): $16.33 vs $16.11 and $18.66
- Beef (1 kg): $19.49 vs $20.60 and $28.27
- Apples (1 kg): $4.51 vs $5.17 and $5.69
- Tomatoes (1 kg): $4.36 vs $5.89 and $5.62
- Local cheese (1 kg): $18.52 vs $13.01 and $16.95
Montreal isn’t the cheapest on everything. Bread and cheese are both pricier here. But Vancouver’s prices on meat and produce add up quickly, especially beef, which costs almost $9 more per kilo.
And if you like a bottle of wine with dinner, a mid-range bottle runs $15 in Montreal compared to $20 in both Toronto and Vancouver.
Utilities
Quebec’s low hydro rates give Montreal a clear advantage here, especially over Toronto.
Basic utilities for an 85-square-metre apartment, including electricity, heating, cooling, water and garbage, average $110 a month in Montreal. That’s compared to $116 in Vancouver and $172 in Toronto (a difference of about $62 a month).
Internet is cheaper here too, at $60 a month versus $68 in Toronto and $74 in Vancouver. Mobile plans are fairly similar across all three cities, ranging from $46 to $52.
Public transportation
Montreal comes out ahead on monthly passes, but not on single fares.
According to Numbeo, a monthly transit pass costs $110 in Montreal and $117.10 in Vancouver.
Toronto works a little differently now. As of August 31, 2026, the TTC no longer sells standard monthly passes. Instead, it uses a monthly fare cap. Riders pay per trip, and once they hit 47 paid trips in a calendar month, the rest of their rides that month are free.
Based on the single fare of $3.35, that cap works out to roughly $157 a month, or about $47 more than a monthly pass in Montreal. The catch is that riders have to use the same PRESTO card, debit card, credit card or mobile wallet every time to get there. Switching between payment methods means your trips are tracked separately.
A single ride is a different story. A one-way ticket costs $3.75 in Montreal, a bit more than $3.35 in Toronto and $3.50 in Vancouver.
Gas
Drivers in Toronto have the edge here.
Numbeo puts gas at $1.76 a litre in Toronto, compared to $1.89 in Montreal and $2.00 in Vancouver. So if you’re driving, Montreal lands right in the middle.
Dining out
This is one category where Montreal doesn’t save you much. In fact, Numbeo says restaurant prices in Vancouver are 2.7% lower than in Montreal, while Toronto’s are just 1.7% higher.
A meal at an inexpensive restaurant costs $26.50 in Montreal, compared to $25 in both Toronto and Vancouver. A three-course dinner for two at a mid-range spot runs $102 in Montreal, $110 in Toronto and $100 in Vancouver.
A domestic draft beer is $9 in Montreal and Toronto, but $8 in Vancouver. A cappuccino costs $5.45 here, compared to $5.70 in Toronto and $5.60 in Vancouver.
Childcare & leisure
If you have kids, this category makes a huge difference.
A private full-day preschool or kindergarten costs an average of $723 a month in Montreal, compared to $1,175 in Toronto and $1,553 in Vancouver. That’s more than double the price in Vancouver.
Staying active costs more out west too. A monthly gym membership averages $43 in Montreal, $55 in Toronto and $62 in Vancouver. A movie ticket is $16 here, versus $18 in Toronto and $17.50 in Vancouver.
The grand total
So how does it all add up?
According to Numbeo, you’d need around $3,420 in Toronto and about $3,661 in Vancouver to maintain the same standard of living you’d have with $3,000 in Montreal, assuming you rent in all three cities.
Overall, Numbeo says the cost of living, including rent, is 14% higher in Toronto and 22% higher in Vancouver.
But there’s a catch. Salaries are higher in both cities too. The average monthly salary after tax is $4,045 in Montreal, compared to $5,020 in Toronto and $5,132 in Vancouver.
That means Torontonians and Vancouverites actually come out slightly ahead on local purchasing power, by 8.9% and 4% respectively, according to Numbeo.
In other words, Montreal is cheaper to live in, but the bigger paycheques out there help close the gap. Whether that trade-off is worth it depends on what matters most to you.
If you’re renting, raising kids or just want a bit more breathing room in your monthly budget, Montreal still makes a strong case.