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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,149 per month in Courtenay vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,072 per month in Courtenay vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,995 per month in Courtenay vs $4,255 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 60%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.65 CA$17.51

$15.92 CA$22.05

-20.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 CA$80.3

$73.1 CA$101

-20.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 CA$13.18

$11.15 CA$15.43

-14.62%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.68

$3.80 CA$5.26

7.89%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$2.18 CA$3.01

-5.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.46 CA$2.02

-11.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 CA$8.22

$6.12 CA$8.48

-2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.66 CA$11.99

$6.78 CA$9.38

27.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.90

$2.33 CA$3.22

-9.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 CA$3.16

$3.39 CA$4.69

-32.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$3.73 CA$5.16

-39.41%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.53

$3.38 CA$4.68

-3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 CA$12.73

$16.25 CA$22.50

-43.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 CA$13.91

$11.54 CA$15.98

-12.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 CA$13.96

$15.24 CA$21.10

-33.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.39

$3.74 CA$5.18

-15.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.70 CA$2.36

-19.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.45

$4.11 CA$5.68

-39.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.35

$4.35 CA$6.02

-27.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.40

$2.71 CA$3.75

-9.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.95

$2.62 CA$3.62

-18.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 CA$2.64

$2.25 CA$3.12

-15.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.67

$1.73 CA$2.39

-30.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.48

$13.31 CA$18.43

11.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.91 CA$15.11

$10.78 CA$14.93

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 CA$4.47

$3.01 CA$4.17

6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$3.46 CA$4.80

-34.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.74 CA$3.79

-46.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.85 CA$60.7

$72.7 CA$101

-39.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.47

$3.63 CA$5.03

-11.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.93

$1.46 CA$2.02

-4.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.10 CA$25.06

$33.44 CA$46.30

-45.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.21 CA$1.68

9.09%

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

$13.2K CA$18.3K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

-46.29%

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

$19.0K CA$26.3K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

-12.54%

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

$111 CA$154

$76.0 CA$105

45.96%

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

$45.30 CA$62.7

$35.72 CA$49.46

26.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.18 CA$62.6

$42.86 CA$59.4

5.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.3

$42.92 CA$59.4

1.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.04 CA$56.8

$17.23 CA$23.86

138.19%

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 CA$15.59

$11.09 CA$15.35

1.53%

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

$930 CA$1,287

$620 CA$858

50.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K CA$18.3K

$5,834 CA$8,078

127.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.62 CA$67.3

$62.7 CA$86.8

-22.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.65 CA$46.60

$44.41 CA$61.5

-24.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 CA$114

$101 CA$139

-18.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 CA$87.6

$119 CA$165

-46.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,354 CA$1,875

$1,211 CA$1,677

11.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 CA$1,614

$960 CA$1,329

21.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 CA$3,027

$2,035 CA$2,818

7.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,305

$1,589 CA$2,201

4.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,507 CA$6,240

$5,181 CA$7,173

-13.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,096 CA$5,672

$3,934 CA$5,446

4.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,325 CA$4,603

$2,960 CA$4,098

12.32%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,354 in Courtenay versus $1,211 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 $58.0 in Courtenay versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $392 – 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 $3,224 per month in Courtenay and $3,094 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 31% 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 $58.0 in Courtenay 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 $2,063, than in Courtenay at $2,149. 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.