Cost of Living Comparison Between Courtenay and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Courtenay and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,178 per month in Courtenay vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,016 per month in Courtenay vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,853 per month in Courtenay vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Courtenay costs about 4% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Courtenay and Montreal sit above the global median – Courtenay by 63%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.99 CA$18.28

$16.52 CA$23.24

-21.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 CA$82.8

$74.0 CA$104

-20.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 CA$13.65

$10.94 CA$15.40

-11.33%

Cappuccino

$4.12 CA$5.80

$3.84 CA$5.41

7.29%

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

$1.98 CA$2.79

$2.14 CA$3.01

-7.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 CA$1.90

$1.45 CA$2.04

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.42

$6.13 CA$8.63

-2.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.65 CA$12.17

$6.73 CA$9.47

28.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.97

$2.35 CA$3.31

-10.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 CA$3.23

$3.34 CA$4.69

-31.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.14

$3.74 CA$5.27

-40.37%

Eggs

$3.21 CA$4.52

$3.39 CA$4.77

-5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 CA$13.47

$16.30 CA$22.93

-41.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 CA$13.56

$11.81 CA$16.62

-18.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 CA$14.00

$15.64 CA$22.01

-36.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.31

$3.69 CA$5.20

-17.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.70 CA$2.39

-18.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$4.11 CA$5.79

-42.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.65

$4.41 CA$6.20

-24.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.56

$2.79 CA$3.93

-9.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.64 CA$3.72

-15.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$2.29 CA$3.22

-17.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$1.78 CA$2.51

-33.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.82 CA$20.85

$13.17 CA$18.53

12.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 CA$15.11

$10.64 CA$14.97

0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.51

$2.99 CA$4.20

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.18

$3.44 CA$4.83

-34.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 CA$2.02

$2.81 CA$3.95

-49.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.93 CA$63.2

$72.8 CA$102

-38.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CA$4.60

$3.52 CA$4.95

-7.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.45 CA$2.05

-4.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.77 CA$26.41

$34.29 CA$48.26

-45.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.79

$1.22 CA$1.72

4.10%

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

$13.4K CA$18.9K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-46.90%

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

$18.9K CA$26.6K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-14.46%

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

$110 CA$155

$76.5 CA$108

43.88%

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

$44.06 CA$62.0

$35.60 CA$50.1

23.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.35 CA$65.2

$42.96 CA$60.5

7.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.37 CA$62.4

$43.39 CA$61.1

2.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.21 CA$58.0

$16.83 CA$23.68

144.86%

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 CA$15.66

$11.09 CA$15.60

0.36%

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

$956 CA$1,345

$625 CA$879

53.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K CA$18.9K

$5,896 CA$8,296

127.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 CA$68.7

$63.1 CA$88.8

-22.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.35 CA$46.92

$44.50 CA$62.6

-25.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 CA$113

$103 CA$145

-21.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.8 CA$88.4

$118 CA$166

-46.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 CA$1,939

$1,207 CA$1,699

14.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 CA$1,619

$965 CA$1,358

19.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,231 CA$3,139

$2,031 CA$2,858

9.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 CA$2,420

$1,577 CA$2,219

9.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,300 CA$7,457

$5,085 CA$7,155

4.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,248 CA$4,570

$2,890 CA$4,066

12.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.01

21.36%

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

Last update for Courtenay: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,378 in Courtenay versus $1,207 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 12% higher in Courtenay, 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 $59.0 in Courtenay versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $395 – making Courtenay 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

Courtenay vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Courtenay is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,267 per month in Courtenay and $3,127 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 32% cheaper in Courtenay – 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 $59.0 in Courtenay and $74.0 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 $2,085, than in Courtenay at $2,178. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Courtenay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montreal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Courtenay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.