Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,815 in Coquitlam versus $2,056 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,041 in Coquitlam versus $3,112 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,267 in Coquitlam versus $4,167 in Montreal.

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 37% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coquitlam 105% above, Montreal 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 CA$22.54

$17.85 CA$24.62

-8.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$98.2

$72.3 CA$99.7

-1.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 CA$14.65

$10.92 CA$15.06

-2.75%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.42

$3.97 CA$5.47

-1.01%

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

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.07 CA$2.86

6.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.55 CA$2.13

11.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 CA$8.11

$6.41 CA$8.85

-8.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 CA$8.82

$7.29 CA$10.05

-12.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 CA$2.04

$2.39 CA$3.29

-38.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.72

$3.21 CA$4.42

-15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.73

$3.07 CA$4.23

-12.05%

Eggs

$3.87 CA$5.34

$3.68 CA$5.07

5.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 CA$14.04

$13.57 CA$18.72

-24.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.80 CA$19.03

$11.63 CA$16.03

18.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.50 CA$28.27

$13.97 CA$19.27

46.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.02

$3.68 CA$5.08

18.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.94

$1.56 CA$2.15

-9.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.61

$3.41 CA$4.70

19.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.53

$3.03 CA$4.17

32.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 CA$2.16

$1.98 CA$2.74

-20.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.09

$1.82 CA$2.52

63.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 CA$3.76

$2.56 CA$3.53

6.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$1.39 CA$1.92

-23.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.96 CA$22.00

$11.49 CA$15.85

38.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 CA$16.86

$10.92 CA$15.06

11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.26 CA$3.12

16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.21

$3.01 CA$4.15

1.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.20

$2.69 CA$3.71

-13.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.9 CA$106

$75.3 CA$104

2.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 CA$3.75

$3.35 CA$4.62

-18.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.90

$1.50 CA$2.07

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.00 CA$34.48

$33.70 CA$46.47

-25.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.79

$1.29 CA$1.78

0.78%

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

$26.4K CA$36.4K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

-6.62%

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

$19.0K CA$26.2K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

-4.68%

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

$77.7 CA$107

$80.4 CA$111

-3.29%

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

$36.08 CA$49.75

$34.23 CA$47.21

5.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$70.5

$41.39 CA$57.1

23.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.28 CA$29.34

$29.24 CA$40.32

-27.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.04 CA$15.22

$19.89 CA$27.43

-44.49%

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 CA$14.68

$11.71 CA$16.15

-9.14%

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

$1,132 CA$1,561

$564 CA$778

100.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.6K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

-28.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 CA$84.3

$59.5 CA$82.1

2.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.22 CA$49.95

$42.13 CA$58.1

-14.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 CA$125

$107 CA$148

-15.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.7 CA$135

$111 CA$153

-11.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,957 CA$2,698

$1,284 CA$1,770

52.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 CA$2,485

$990 CA$1,365

81.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 CA$4,878

$2,260 CA$3,116

56.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,650 CA$3,655

$1,667 CA$2,299

58.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,121 CA$8,440

$5,287 CA$7,291

15.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,989 CA$6,880

$3,813 CA$5,258

30.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,058 CA$4,216

$3,019 CA$4,163

1.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

4.41

-4.08%

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

Last update for Coquitlam: August 29, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,957 in Coquitlam and $1,284 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays 1% 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: $71.0 in Coquitlam vs $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $374 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

Coquitlam vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Coquitlam, 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: $1,957 in Coquitlam versus $1,284 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,815 per month in Coquitlam versus $2,056 in Montreal – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 2% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,815 in Coquitlam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Coquitlam. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montreal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Coquitlam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Coquitlam 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 37% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.