How does the city comparison work?

It combines city baselines with household profile multipliers to estimate monthly and annual costs.

Are these live prices?

No. These are baseline planning estimates and should be validated against current listings and bills.

Can I export the comparison?

Yes. You can export the comparison as CSV or PDF.

What should I check next?

Review salary needed, rent affordability, and after-tax income for the relevant province before treating the monthly difference as a complete moving budget.

Montreal vs Toronto cost of living

Compare single-person basic-needs budgets for Montreal and Toronto.

Monthly difference

On the total monthly basic-needs budget for one person (food, shelter, transportation and other essentials), Montreal is about $525 a month cheaper than Toronto.

Advertised 1-bedroom rent is a separate measure: Toronto is $670 a month higher (Montreal $1,170 vs Toronto $1,840). The budget total already includes a shelter cost, so rent is not added on top and the two gaps can differ.

Use the full comparison tool to add a third city and adjust scenarios.

Open comparison tool Salary needed in Montreal

Montreal

Food: $683
Transportation: $205
Shelter: $591
Advertised 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,170
Single-Person Basic-Needs Budget: $2,095

Toronto

Food: $625
Transportation: $311
Shelter: $1,116
Advertised 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,840
Single-Person Basic-Needs Budget: $2,620

City comparison

Montreal vs Toronto cost of living planning notes

Use this comparison to review official basic-needs budgets and advertised rent differences between Montreal and Toronto.

Popular planning scenarios

Montreal monthly cost baseline before moving
Toronto rent and transport check against take-home pay
Salary needed comparison for Montreal and Toronto
Follow-up budget planning after choosing a city

Methodology note

Pair pages use the single-person Market Basket Measure total. Advertised rent is displayed separately because the MBM total already includes a shelter component. Adjust the regional baseline for neighbourhood, commute, debt, insurance and lifestyle.

Related Canadian planning tools

Cost of living in MontrealReview city-specific rent, groceries, transport, and salary context.Cost of living in TorontoSee the local baseline behind this comparison.Salary needed in MontrealConnect monthly costs with local income planning.Canada income calculatorEstimate take-home pay before choosing a city budget.

Quick answers

Is Montreal or Toronto cheaper?: On the total monthly basic-needs budget for one person (food, shelter, transportation and other essentials), Montreal is about $525 a month cheaper than Toronto. Advertised 1-bedroom rent is a separate measure: Toronto is $670 a month higher (Montreal $1,170 vs Toronto $1,840). The budget total already includes a shelter cost, so rent is not added on top and the two gaps can differ.
What should I check next?: Review salary needed, rent affordability, and after-tax income for the relevant province before treating the monthly difference as a complete moving budget.

Calculation transparency

Data, sources, and assumptions

Results combine Canadian tax rules, city cost baselines, and market assumptions versioned with the site code.

Pipeline last run

Oct 02, 2026

Tax rules

2026 tables · checked Sep 08, 2026

City costs

Rent period varies by city · fuel 2026-08

Market rates

Mortgage benchmark checked Sep 30, 2026

Estimates do not replace tax, financial, or legal advice.

Sources and methodology