Cost of Living Comparison Between Abbotsford and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Abbotsford and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,336 per month in Abbotsford vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,346 per month in Abbotsford vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,355 per month in Abbotsford vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

Abbotsford costs about 14% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Abbotsford and Montreal sit above the global median – Abbotsford by 70%, Montreal by 50%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abbotsford
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.96 CA$20.70
$17.85 CA$24.70
-16.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.0 CA$80.2
$72.3 CA$100
-19.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.31 CA$14.26
$10.92 CA$15.11
-5.59%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.32
$3.97 CA$5.49
-3.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 CA$2.54
$2.07 CA$2.87
-11.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 CA$2.26
$1.55 CA$2.14
5.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.97 CA$8.25
$6.41 CA$8.88
-6.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 CA$7.89
$7.29 CA$10.09
-21.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abbotsford
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 CA$2.60
$2.39 CA$3.30
-21.34%
White Bread (500g)
$2.25 CA$3.11
$3.21 CA$4.44
-29.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.50 CA$6.23
$3.07 CA$4.25
46.58%
Eggs
$3.22 CA$4.46
$3.68 CA$5.09
-12.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.87 CA$17.81
$13.57 CA$18.78
-5.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.65 CA$25.81
$11.63 CA$16.09
60.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.84 CA$37.13
$13.97 CA$19.33
92.13%
Apples (1kg)
$6.22 CA$8.60
$3.68 CA$5.10
69.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 CA$1.66
$1.56 CA$2.16
-23.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.76 CA$5.20
$3.41 CA$4.72
10.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.63 CA$5.02
$3.03 CA$4.19
19.80%
Potato (1kg)
$4.20 CA$5.81
$1.98 CA$2.74
112.12%
Onion (1kg)
$2.63 CA$3.63
$1.82 CA$2.52
44.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.66 CA$3.68
$2.56 CA$3.54
3.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 CA$2.56
$1.39 CA$1.92
33.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$16.21 CA$22.43
$11.49 CA$15.90
41.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.82 CA$14.97
$10.92 CA$15.11
-0.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.27 CA$5.91
$2.26 CA$3.13
88.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 CA$5.33
$3.01 CA$4.16
27.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Abbotsford
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.18 CA$4.41
$2.69 CA$3.72
18.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.32 CA$64.1
$75.3 CA$104
-38.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.60 CA$4.98
$3.35 CA$4.63
7.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 CA$1.98
$1.50 CA$2.08
-4.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.79 CA$34.30
$33.70 CA$46.63
-26.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 CA$1.81
$1.29 CA$1.79
1.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K CA$40.3K
$28.3K CA$39.1K
3.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.4K CA$26.8K
$20.0K CA$27.6K
-2.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abbotsford
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 CA$159
$80.4 CA$111
42.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.35 CA$61.4
$34.23 CA$47.37
29.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.1 CA$97.0
$41.39 CA$57.3
69.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abbotsford
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.51 CA$42.22
$29.24 CA$40.46
4.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.09 CA$22.26
$19.89 CA$27.52
-19.11%
Cinema Ticket
$11.29 CA$15.62
$11.71 CA$16.20
-3.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abbotsford
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$377 CA$522
$564 CA$781
-33.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,008 CA$11.1K
$16.8K CA$23.3K
-52.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abbotsford
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.3 CA$75.1
$59.5 CA$82.3
-8.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.09 CA$48.56
$42.13 CA$58.3
-16.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.9 CA$115
$107 CA$148
-22.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 CA$144
$111 CA$153
-6.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abbotsford
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,317 CA$1,822
$1,284 CA$1,776
2.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,101 CA$1,524
$990 CA$1,370
11.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 CA$2,666
$2,260 CA$3,127
-14.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,721 CA$2,382
$1,667 CA$2,307
3.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,740 CA$6,559
$5,287 CA$7,316
-10.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,889 CA$3,998
$3,813 CA$5,276
-24.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abbotsford
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,183 CA$4,405
$3,019 CA$4,177
5.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.72
4.41
7.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Abbotsford: September 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,317 in Abbotsford versus $1,284 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Abbotsford, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Abbotsford versus $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $457 in Abbotsford vs $356 in Montreal – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Abbotsford vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Abbotsford and in Montreal compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,336 in Abbotsford, $2,056 in Montreal – roughly 14% apart. Abbotsford costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Abbotsford compared to Montreal?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,504 per month in Abbotsford and $3,084 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Abbotsford and Montreal?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Abbotsford and $72.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Abbotsford or Montreal?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,336 in Abbotsford and $2,056 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,056, than in Abbotsford at $2,336. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Abbotsford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Abbotsford and Montreal?
It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,056 in Montreal to $2,336 in Abbotsford. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Abbotsford or Montreal safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Abbotsford and Montreal?
If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Abbotsford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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