Cost of Living Comparison Between Chilliwack and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Chilliwack and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,191 in Chilliwack versus $2,056 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,261 in Chilliwack versus $3,112 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,332 in Chilliwack versus $4,167 in Montreal.

Living in Chilliwack is roughly 7% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chilliwack 59% above, Montreal 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.26 CA$19.73

$17.85 CA$24.70

-20.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 CA$80.2

$72.3 CA$100

-19.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 CA$13.32

$10.92 CA$15.11

-11.81%

Cappuccino

$4.43 CA$6.13

$3.97 CA$5.49

11.59%

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

$2.04 CA$2.83

$2.07 CA$2.87

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.14

$1.55 CA$2.14

-0.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 CA$8.27

$6.41 CA$8.87

-6.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 CA$8.18

$7.29 CA$10.09

-18.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.83

$2.39 CA$3.30

-14.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.00

$3.21 CA$4.43

-9.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.88

$3.07 CA$4.25

14.98%

Eggs

$3.18 CA$4.40

$3.68 CA$5.08

-13.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 CA$19.45

$13.57 CA$18.78

3.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.05 CA$19.43

$11.63 CA$16.08

20.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.82 CA$35.72

$13.97 CA$19.33

84.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.15

$3.68 CA$5.10

20.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$1.56 CA$2.16

-13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.78

$3.41 CA$4.72

22.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.59 CA$7.74

$3.03 CA$4.19

84.49%

Potato (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.89

$1.98 CA$2.74

115.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.57

$1.82 CA$2.52

41.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$2.56 CA$3.54

12.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$1.39 CA$1.92

78.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 CA$19.96

$11.49 CA$15.90

25.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.45 CA$18.61

$10.92 CA$15.11

23.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CA$2.86

$2.26 CA$3.13

-8.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$3.01 CA$4.16

-20.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CA$2.76

$2.69 CA$3.72

-26.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.36 CA$46.16

$75.3 CA$104

-55.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$3.35 CA$4.63

-10.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 CA$3.23

$1.50 CA$2.08

56.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.77 CA$34.27

$33.70 CA$46.63

-26.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.71

$1.29 CA$1.79

-3.88%

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

$28.5K CA$39.5K

$28.3K CA$39.1K

0.93%

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

$19.5K CA$26.9K

$20.0K CA$27.6K

-2.40%

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

$127 CA$176

$80.4 CA$111

58.26%

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

$37.48 CA$51.9

$34.23 CA$47.36

9.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 CA$96.2

$41.39 CA$57.3

67.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.55 CA$57.5

$29.24 CA$40.46

42.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.88 CA$24.74

$19.89 CA$27.52

-10.11%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 CA$16.77

$11.71 CA$16.20

3.50%

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

$366 CA$507

$564 CA$781

-35.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K CA$16.8K

$16.8K CA$23.3K

-27.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CA$75.4

$59.5 CA$82.3

-8.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 CA$48.49

$42.13 CA$58.3

-16.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 CA$115

$107 CA$148

-22.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$143

$111 CA$153

-6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 CA$1,649

$1,284 CA$1,776

-7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 CA$1,397

$990 CA$1,370

1.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,067 CA$2,859

$2,260 CA$3,127

-8.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 CA$2,313

$1,667 CA$2,307

0.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,328 CA$4,604

$5,287 CA$7,315

-37.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,369 CA$4,662

$3,813 CA$5,275

-11.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,165 CA$4,379

$3,019 CA$4,177

4.83%

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 Chilliwack: August 30, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,192 in Chilliwack and $1,284 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chilliwack pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $58.0 in Chilliwack vs $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $442 vs $356, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chilliwack vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Chilliwack. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montreal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Chilliwack, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,192 in Chilliwack versus $1,284 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $366 in Chilliwack versus $564 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Chilliwack. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,191 in Chilliwack, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Chilliwack. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Montreal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,056 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Montreal hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chilliwack and Montreal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Chilliwack. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.