Cost of Living Comparison Between Burns Lake and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Burns Lake and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,332 per month in Burns Lake vs $2,084 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,377 per month in Burns Lake vs $3,161 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,423 per month in Burns Lake vs $4,239 in Montreal, rent included.

Burns Lake costs about 12% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Burns Lake and Montreal sit above the global median – Burns Lake by 74%, Montreal by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 CA$23.99

$15.97 CA$22.30

7.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 CA$96.7

$73.4 CA$102

-5.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 CA$15.11

$10.97 CA$15.32

-1.37%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.12

$3.79 CA$5.29

-3.17%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.83

$2.16 CA$3.01

-6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$1.50 CA$2.09

8.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 CA$7.86

$5.90 CA$8.24

-4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 CA$8.00

$6.82 CA$9.52

-15.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CA$2.98

$2.31 CA$3.23

-7.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.79

$3.38 CA$4.72

-19.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.87

$3.83 CA$5.36

-8.88%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.75

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 CA$15.68

$16.11 CA$22.50

-30.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.67

$11.78 CA$16.46

1.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 CA$20.21

$15.32 CA$21.40

-5.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.55

$3.66 CA$5.11

8.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.61 CA$2.25

-12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.19

$4.07 CA$5.68

-8.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.21

$4.40 CA$6.14

-15.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.40

$2.68 CA$3.74

-9.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.48

$2.66 CA$3.72

-6.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$2.29 CA$3.20

13.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.77 CA$2.48

1.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.20 CA$19.83

$13.07 CA$18.25

8.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 CA$18.06

$10.70 CA$14.94

20.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.11

$3.13 CA$4.37

-6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CA$4.38

$3.45 CA$4.82

-8.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.26

$2.84 CA$3.97

-17.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 CA$89.4

$72.7 CA$102

-11.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 CA$4.52

$3.52 CA$4.92

-7.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.44 CA$2.01

-0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.23 CA$36.63

$33.29 CA$46.48

-21.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.23 CA$1.71

-8.13%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.4K CA$35.4K

-0.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.5K CA$28.6K

$21.5K CA$30.0K

-4.46%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$143 CA$200

$73.9 CA$103

93.80%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$43.46 CA$60.7

$36.87 CA$51.5

17.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CA$88.4

$42.97 CA$60.0

47.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.43 CA$59.3

$42.82 CA$59.8

-0.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.65 CA$51.2

$16.86 CA$23.55

117.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 CA$16.01

$11.19 CA$15.63

2.41%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$748 CA$1,045

$608 CA$850

22.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$5,823 CA$8,132

101.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 CA$74.7

$61.1 CA$85.3

-12.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.56 CA$55.3

$44.96 CA$62.8

-12.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 CA$123

$102 CA$143

-14.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$149

$122 CA$170

-12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 CA$1,826

$1,198 CA$1,674

9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 CA$1,645

$942 CA$1,316

25.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 CA$2,767

$2,087 CA$2,914

-5.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,812 CA$2,531

$1,559 CA$2,178

16.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,763 CA$6,651

$5,093 CA$7,112

-6.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,224 CA$5,899

$3,783 CA$5,283

11.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,880 CA$4,022

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.01

28.94%

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

Last update for Burns Lake: June 7, 2026

Last update for Montreal: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,308 in Burns Lake versus $1,198 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Burns Lake versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $393 – making Burns Lake the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Burns Lake vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burns Lake costs about 12% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,498 per month in Burns Lake and $3,126 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Burns Lake – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Burns Lake and $73.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,084, than in Burns Lake at $2,332. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burns Lake it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,084 versus $2,332 in Burns Lake. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Burns Lake makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.