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: $2,189 in Chilliwack versus $2,085 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,259 in Chilliwack versus $3,174 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,329 in Chilliwack versus $4,262 in Montreal.

Living in Chilliwack is roughly 5% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chilliwack 64% above, Montreal 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 CA$21.06

$16.52 CA$23.16

-9.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 CA$102

$74.0 CA$104

-1.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 CA$13.17

$10.94 CA$15.34

-14.08%

Cappuccino

$3.94 CA$5.52

$3.84 CA$5.39

2.60%

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

$2.22 CA$3.12

$2.14 CA$2.99

3.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.45 CA$2.03

17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 CA$8.35

$6.13 CA$8.60

-2.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 CA$6.03

$6.73 CA$9.44

-36.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.09

$2.35 CA$3.30

-6.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$3.34 CA$4.68

-15.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$3.74 CA$5.25

-29.14%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.16

$3.39 CA$4.76

8.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.55 CA$17.59

$16.30 CA$22.85

-23.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 CA$16.63

$11.81 CA$16.56

0.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 CA$18.23

$15.64 CA$21.93

-16.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.17

$3.69 CA$5.18

19.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.70 CA$2.39

-18.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.67

$4.11 CA$5.76

-1.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$6.99

$4.41 CA$6.18

13.15%

Potato (1kg)

$4.20 CA$5.89

$2.79 CA$3.91

50.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.64 CA$3.70

12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CA$3.62

$2.29 CA$3.21

12.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.65

$1.78 CA$2.50

6.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.76 CA$22.09

$13.17 CA$18.47

19.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 CA$17.81

$10.64 CA$14.92

19.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$2.99 CA$4.19

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.14

$3.44 CA$4.82

6.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$2.81 CA$3.94

-30.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.88 CA$48.90

$72.8 CA$102

-52.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$3.52 CA$4.93

-13.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 CA$3.18

$1.45 CA$2.04

56.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.61 CA$35.90

$34.29 CA$48.08

-25.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.74

$1.22 CA$1.72

1.64%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

0.76%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$22.1K CA$31.0K

-9.13%

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

$117 CA$165

$76.5 CA$107

53.45%

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

$45.10 CA$63.2

$35.60 CA$49.91

26.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$84.9

$42.96 CA$60.2

41.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.14 CA$53.5

$43.39 CA$60.8

-12.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.30 CA$25.66

$16.83 CA$23.60

8.73%

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 CA$16.75

$11.09 CA$15.55

7.75%

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

$530 CA$743

$625 CA$876

-15.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K CA$24.6K

$5,896 CA$8,266

198.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$84.8

$63.1 CA$88.5

-4.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.30 CA$49.48

$44.50 CA$62.4

-20.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 CA$136

$103 CA$144

-5.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$161

$118 CA$166

-3.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 CA$1,654

$1,207 CA$1,692

-2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 CA$1,516

$965 CA$1,353

12.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,903 CA$2,668

$2,031 CA$2,848

-6.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 CA$2,426

$1,577 CA$2,211

9.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,257 CA$4,567

$5,085 CA$7,129

-35.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,246 CA$4,551

$3,783 CA$5,304

-14.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,123 CA$4,378

$2,890 CA$4,051

8.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.65

5.01

12.77%

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

Last update for Chilliwack: July 14, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,179 in Chilliwack and $1,207 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chilliwack pays 8% 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: $73.0 in Chilliwack vs $74.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $395 per month, with Chilliwack cheaper across the board.

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 5% 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 8% 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: $1,179 in Chilliwack versus $1,207 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $530 in Chilliwack versus $625 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Chilliwack pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,085 in Montreal versus $2,189 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 $2,085 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 5% less than in Chilliwack. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.