Cost of Living in Montreal

Canada · North America · Currency: CAD

52.1
COLI Index
#53
of 113 Cities
36.8%
Total Deductions
C$1,895
1BR Rent/mo

About Montreal

Montreal has a cost of living index of 52.1, making it a moderate cost city compared to New York (baseline = 100). It ranks #53 out of 113 cities tracked globally.

The local currency is CAD. A salary of $75,000 USD in New York would need to be approximately C$52,904 in Montreal to maintain the same purchasing power.

The approximate effective income tax rate in Canada is 15% for a mid-range earner. Including social security and other mandatory deductions, the total deduction rate is approximately 36.8%.

Monthly Cost Breakdown in Montreal

Estimated monthly expense allocation for a mid-range earner living in Montreal. Housing costs are based on average one-bedroom rent in the city center (C$1,895/month), with other categories adjusted for the local cost of living index.

Housing
45%
Food & Groceries
15%
Transportation
8%
Utilities
6%
Healthcare
4%
Other & Savings
22%

Estimates based on a mid-range salary adjusted for Montreal's COLI of 52.1 and Canada's total deduction rate of 36.8%. Individual expenses will vary.

Tax & Deductions Breakdown in Montreal

Estimated annual deductions for a mid-range salary of C$52,904 in Montreal. This shows all mandatory payroll deductions as a local employee.

Income Tax
15%
CPP + EI
6.8%
Provincial Tax (Québec)
15%
Total Deductions: 36.8%
Est. Take-Home: C$33,435/yr

Rates shown are for a local employee. Expat rates may differ — use the main converter for personalized calculations.

Salary Ranges by Job Title in Montreal (2026)

Two numbers per role: local market (verified national stats, OECD estimate, or COLI fallback — same badges as /is-my-salary-good/) and a lifestyle equivalent (NYC baseline × city COLI / 100). The equivalent is not market pay. Senior column is COLI-scaled.

Job Title Local market (mid) Lifestyle equivalent (mid) COLI senior equivalent
Doctor (General)C$165,719
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$126,970
COLI equivalent
C$246,887
SurgeonC$257,786
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$197,509
COLI equivalent
C$352,695
DentistC$140,807
OECD / estimated · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$112,862
COLI equivalent
C$211,617
PharmacistC$110,006
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$88,174
COLI equivalent
C$141,078
NurseC$51,043
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$40,913
COLI equivalent
C$70,539
PsychologistC$74,804
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$59,958
COLI equivalent
C$105,809
Software EngineerC$75,955
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$59,958
COLI equivalent
C$126,970
DevOps EngineerC$84,891
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$67,012
COLI equivalent
C$123,443
Data ScientistC$84,891
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$67,012
COLI equivalent
C$119,916
Mechanical EngineerC$71,812
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$55,020
COLI equivalent
C$98,755
Civil EngineerC$66,288
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$50,788
COLI equivalent
C$95,228
Electrical EngineerC$73,653
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$56,431
COLI equivalent
C$102,282
ArchitectC$66,288
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$50,788
COLI equivalent
C$91,701
UX DesignerC$67,019
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$52,904
COLI equivalent
C$98,755
Product ManagerC$89,358
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$70,539
COLI equivalent
C$134,024
Project ManagerC$61,739
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$56,431
COLI equivalent
C$105,809
Financial AnalystC$71,812
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$55,020
COLI equivalent
C$102,282
AccountantC$57,081
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$43,734
COLI equivalent
C$77,593
Business AnalystC$57,880
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$52,904
COLI equivalent
C$98,755
ConsultantC$69,456
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$63,485
COLI equivalent
C$126,970
Investment BankerC$138,099
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$105,809
COLI equivalent
C$246,887
ActuaryC$101,273
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$77,593
COLI equivalent
C$141,078
LawyerC$81,235
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$70,539
COLI equivalent
C$155,186
ParalegalC$42,242
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$36,680
COLI equivalent
C$59,958
Marketing ManagerC$55,565
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$50,788
COLI equivalent
C$95,228
Sales ManagerC$61,739
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$56,431
COLI equivalent
C$112,862
Graphic DesignerC$38,796
COLI estimate only — not market pay
C$38,796
COLI equivalent
C$70,539
Content WriterC$35,270
COLI estimate only — not market pay
C$35,270
COLI equivalent
C$63,485
HR ManagerC$54,021
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$49,377
COLI equivalent
C$91,701
Operations ManagerC$63,282
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$57,842
COLI equivalent
C$105,809
CEO / ExecutiveC$169,781
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$155,186
COLI equivalent
C$352,695
TeacherC$67,587
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$33,859
COLI equivalent
C$59,958
ProfessorC$133,767
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$67,012
COLI equivalent
C$126,970
Research ScientistC$119,686
Verified · Canada Job Bank LFS 2023–2024 · CIHI Physician Data
C$59,958
COLI equivalent
C$109,335
PilotC$84,647
COLI estimate only — not market pay
C$84,647
COLI equivalent
C$176,348
ChefC$35,270
COLI estimate only — not market pay
C$35,270
COLI equivalent
C$70,539
JournalistC$36,680
COLI estimate only — not market pay
C$36,680
COLI equivalent
C$67,012

Salary ranges are estimates adjusted by Montreal's COLI (52.1) relative to the New York baseline (100). Actual salaries depend on experience, company, and industry.

How Much Do You Need to Earn in Montreal?

Understanding your take-home pay is critical when evaluating a move to Montreal. With total deductions of approximately 36.8% (income tax + social security) in Canada and average one-bedroom rent of C$1,895/month, here is what a mid-range salary looks like:

C$52,904
Gross Annual (Mid-Range)
C$2,786
Monthly Take-Home

After taxes, a mid-range earner in Montreal takes home approximately C$2,786 per month. With housing consuming roughly 45% of after-tax income, careful budgeting is essential in this moderate cost city. Your purchasing power in Montreal is 192% of what it would be in New York for the same nominal salary.

Neighborhoods in Montreal

24 neighborhoods tracked with cost multipliers relative to the city average. This neighborhood-level data helps you understand exactly how costs vary within Montreal.

NeighborhoodMultipliervs City Avg
Westmount 1.30x +30%
Old Montreal 1.22x +22%
Outremont 1.20x +20%
Plateau Mont-Royal 1.18x +18%
Griffintown 1.15x +15%
Mile End 1.08x +8%
Petite-Italie 1.05x +5%
Rosemont 0.95x -5%
Villeray 0.92x -8%
Saint-Henri 0.92x -8%
NDG (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce) 0.90x -10%
Verdun 0.88x -12%
Pointe-Saint-Charles 0.88x -12%
Ahuntsic 0.85x -15%
Côte-des-Neiges 0.82x -18%
Dorval 0.82x -18%
Saint-Laurent 0.80x -20%
Hochelaga 0.78x -22%
Mercier 0.78x -22%
Brossard 0.78x -22%
Laval 0.75x -25%
Lachine 0.75x -25%
Anjou 0.75x -25%
Longueuil 0.72x -28%

Salary Comparison: Montreal vs Other Cities

To maintain the same standard of living as $75,000 USD in Montreal, here's what you'd need in other cities:

City COLI Equivalent Salary Difference
New York 100 $143,954 +48%
London 87.5 £94,849 +40%
Singapore 87.7 S$164,464 +41%
Dubai 72.4 AED 377,572 +28%
Berlin 51.2 €62,493 -2%
Tokyo 77.3 ¥17,237,786 +33%
Sydney 74.5 A$152,389 +30%
Toronto 62.3 C$121,424 +16%

Compare Montreal With Other Cities

See detailed side-by-side comparisons of salaries, rent, taxes, and neighborhoods.

Montreal vs Abu Dhabi Montreal vs Amsterdam Montreal vs Athens Montreal vs Atlanta Montreal vs Auckland Montreal vs Austin Montreal vs Bali (Denpasar) Montreal vs Bangalore Montreal vs Bangkok Montreal vs Barcelona Montreal vs Beijing Montreal vs Berlin Montreal vs Bogotá Montreal vs Boston Montreal vs Brussels Montreal vs Bucharest Montreal vs Budapest Montreal vs Buenos Aires Montreal vs Cairo Montreal vs Cancún Montreal vs Cape Town Montreal vs Casablanca Montreal vs Charlotte Montreal vs Chennai Montreal vs Chiang Mai Montreal vs Chicago Montreal vs Copenhagen Montreal vs Dallas Montreal vs Delhi Montreal vs Denver Montreal vs Doha Montreal vs Dubai Montreal vs Dublin Montreal vs Edinburgh Montreal vs Fukuoka Montreal vs Geneva Montreal vs Guangzhou Montreal vs Hanoi Montreal vs Helsinki Montreal vs Ho Chi Minh City Montreal vs Hong Kong Montreal vs Houston Montreal vs Istanbul Montreal vs Jakarta Montreal vs Krakow Montreal vs Kuala Lumpur Montreal vs Lagos Montreal vs Las Vegas Montreal vs Lima Montreal vs Lisbon Montreal vs London Montreal vs Los Angeles Montreal vs Luxembourg City Montreal vs Madrid Montreal vs Manila Montreal vs Marrakech Montreal vs Medellín Montreal vs Melbourne Montreal vs Mexico City Montreal vs Miami Montreal vs Milan Montreal vs Minneapolis Montreal vs Montevideo Montreal vs Mumbai Montreal vs Munich Montreal vs Málaga Montreal vs Nairobi Montreal vs Nashville Montreal vs New York Montreal vs Nice Montreal vs Osaka Montreal vs Oslo Montreal vs Panama City Montreal vs Paris Montreal vs Perth Montreal vs Philadelphia Montreal vs Phnom Penh Montreal vs Phoenix Montreal vs Phuket Montreal vs Playa del Carmen Montreal vs Portland Montreal vs Porto Montreal vs Prague Montreal vs Raleigh Montreal vs Riga Montreal vs Riyadh Montreal vs Rome Montreal vs San Diego Montreal vs San Francisco Montreal vs San José (CR) Montreal vs Santiago Montreal vs Seattle Montreal vs Seoul Montreal vs Shanghai Montreal vs Shenzhen Montreal vs Singapore Montreal vs Split Montreal vs Stockholm Montreal vs Sydney Montreal vs São Paulo Montreal vs Taipei Montreal vs Tallinn Montreal vs Tampa Montreal vs Tel Aviv Montreal vs Tokyo Montreal vs Toronto Montreal vs Valencia Montreal vs Vancouver Montreal vs Vienna Montreal vs Warsaw Montreal vs Washington DC Montreal vs Zurich

Calculate Your Exact Salary

Use our free converter tool with 2,400+ neighborhood adjustments

Open Salary Converter

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living index for Montreal?

The cost of living index (COLI) for Montreal is 52.1, which ranks #53 out of 113 cities globally. New York is the baseline at 100.

How much salary do I need in Montreal to match $75,000 in New York?

To maintain the same purchasing power as $75,000 USD in New York, you would need approximately C$52,904 in Montreal.

What is the average rent in Montreal?

The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center of Montreal is approximately C$1,895 per month (local currency).

What are the total payroll deductions in Canada?

The approximate effective income tax rate for a mid-range earner in Canada is approximately 15%. Including social security and other mandatory contributions, total deductions are approximately 36.8%.

What are the cheapest neighborhoods in Montreal?

The most affordable neighborhoods include Lachine, Anjou, Longueuil.

What are the most expensive areas in Montreal?

The most expensive neighborhoods are Westmount, Old Montreal, Outremont.

Data Sources & Methodology

Our cost of living index (COLI) uses New York City as the baseline (COLI = 100). Indices are derived from multiple sources including Numbeo, Expatistan, and national statistics agencies. Exchange rates are sourced from the European Central Bank.

Tax rates represent approximate effective rates for mid-range earners based on OECD Taxing Wages data and do not constitute tax advice. Neighborhood cost multipliers are estimated from local rental indices and property data. Salary ranges are modeled by adjusting global baseline figures by each city's COLI.

Last updated: 2026-08-31. Data is refreshed periodically and may not reflect very recent changes. All figures are estimates for informational purposes only.

Explore Similar Cities

Other cities in North America:

Related Articles

How Cost of Living Affects Your Salary Salary Negotiation When Relocating Abroad