Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncan BC and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncan BC and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Duncan BC versus $2,085 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,577 in Duncan BC versus $3,174 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,801 in Duncan BC versus $4,262 in Montreal.

Living in Duncan BC is roughly 13% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Duncan BC 76% above, Montreal 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.27 CA$25.71

$16.52 CA$23.24

10.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 CA$97.7

$74.0 CA$104

-6.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.69

$10.94 CA$15.40

1.92%

Cappuccino

$4.07 CA$5.72

$3.84 CA$5.41

5.99%

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

$2.13 CA$3.00

$2.14 CA$3.01

-0.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.53

$1.45 CA$2.04

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.41

$6.13 CA$8.63

-14.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 CA$8.72

$6.73 CA$9.47

-7.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$2.35 CA$3.31

-35.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$3.34 CA$4.69

-17.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.51 CA$7.75

$3.74 CA$5.27

47.33%

Eggs

$3.71 CA$5.23

$3.39 CA$4.77

9.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 CA$14.30

$16.30 CA$22.93

-37.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 CA$16.75

$11.81 CA$16.62

0.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.48

$15.64 CA$22.01

-6.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.68

$3.69 CA$5.20

-9.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.70 CA$2.39

-21.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.18

$4.11 CA$5.79

-27.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$4.41 CA$6.20

-24.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.79 CA$3.93

-12.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.86

$2.64 CA$3.72

-23.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CA$3.51

$2.29 CA$3.22

8.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.78 CA$2.51

-4.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.19 CA$19.97

$13.17 CA$18.53

7.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 CA$16.10

$10.64 CA$14.97

7.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 CA$5.54

$2.99 CA$4.20

31.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$3.44 CA$4.83

15.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$2.81 CA$3.95

-29.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.8 CA$108

$72.8 CA$102

5.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$3.52 CA$4.95

-22.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.07

$1.45 CA$2.05

1.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.22 CA$41.12

$34.29 CA$48.26

-14.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.22 CA$1.72

7.38%

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

$23.8K CA$33.5K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-5.86%

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

$20.9K CA$29.4K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-5.76%

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

$158 CA$223

$76.5 CA$108

106.76%

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

$42.68 CA$60.1

$35.60 CA$50.1

19.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 CA$95.4

$42.96 CA$60.5

57.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 CA$87.8

$43.39 CA$61.1

43.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

Cinema Ticket

$12.75 CA$17.95

$11.09 CA$15.60

14.97%

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

$916 CA$1,289

$625 CA$879

46.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K CA$14.9K

$5,896 CA$8,296

79.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$77.3

$63.1 CA$88.8

-12.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 CA$73.7

$44.50 CA$62.6

17.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$142

$103 CA$145

-1.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 CA$133

$118 CA$166

-19.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 CA$1,813

$1,207 CA$1,699

6.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 CA$1,582

$965 CA$1,358

16.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,350 CA$3,306

$2,031 CA$2,858

15.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,146 CA$3,019

$1,577 CA$2,219

36.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,387 CA$6,173

$5,085 CA$7,155

-13.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,621 CA$5,095

$3,783 CA$5,324

-4.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,104 CA$4,368

$2,890 CA$4,066

7.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.01

30.54%

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

Last update for Duncan BC: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Duncan BC and $1,207 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 7% 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: $69.0 in Duncan BC vs $74.0 in Montreal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $395 per month, with Duncan BC 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

Duncan BC vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Duncan BC, 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: $1,288 in Duncan BC versus $1,207 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Duncan BC pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $69.0 in Duncan BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,085 in Montreal versus $2,354 in Duncan BC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Duncan BC. 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 Duncan BC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Duncan BC 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 13% less than in Duncan BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.