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Calgary vs Montreal cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐จ๐ฆ Calgary
๐จ๐ฆ Montreal
At a glance
- Where Montreal is clearly cheaper: Restaurant dinner (18%โ)
- Where Calgary is clearly cheaper: Cocktail & wine (25%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Calgary is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: language โ Calgary 1 vs Montreal 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Calgary | Montreal | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | C$ 25$18.4 | C$ 22$16.2 | Montreal โ12% |
| Street food1 item | C$ 12$8.82 | C$ 12$8.82 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | C$ 55$40.4 | C$ 45$33.1 | Montreal โ18% |
| Coffeeone cup | C$ 6$4.41 | C$ 5.5$4.04 | Montreal โ8% |
| Beerone bottle | C$ 9$6.62 | C$ 9$6.62 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | C$ 15$11 | C$ 20$14.7 | Calgary โ25% |
| Bottled water | C$ 2.5$1.84 | C$ 2.3$1.69 | Montreal โ8% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | C$ 3$2.21 | C$ 2.8$2.06 | Montreal โ7% |
| Taxi5 km in town | C$ 17$12.5 | C$ 17$12.5 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | C$ 10$7.35 | C$ 10$7.35 | similar |
| Transitone ride | C$ 4$2.94 | C$ 3.75$2.76 | Montreal โ6% |
| Scooter rentalper day | C$ 40$29.4 | C$ 40$29.4 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | C$ 180$132 | C$ 190$140 | Calgary โ5% |
| Studio rent (month) | C$ 1,600$1,176 | C$ 1,680$1,235 | Calgary โ5% |
| Laundry | C$ 5.1$3.75 | C$ 6$4.41 | Calgary โ15% |
| SIM card1 week data | C$ 35$25.7 | C$ 35$25.7 | similar |
| Haircutcut | C$ 33$24.3 | C$ 32$23.5 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | C$ 100$73.5 | C$ 95$69.9 | Montreal โ5% |
| Half-day tourper person | C$ 100$73.5 | C$ 100$73.5 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | C$ 25$18.4 | C$ 24$17.6 | similar |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Calgary or Montreal?
Calgary and Montreal cost about the same. Daily budget $274 vs $266; a month $4,857 vs $4,773.
Which is easier to travel, Calgary or Montreal?
Calgary is easier: Calgary 1.4/5 vs Montreal 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Calgary and Montreal?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Calgary is about $4,857 and Montreal about $4,773 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.