Cost of Living Comparison Between Golden, BC and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Golden, BC and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,199 in Golden, BC versus $2,042 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,033 in Golden, BC versus $3,163 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,867 in Golden, BC versus $4,284 in Montreal.

Living in Golden, BC is roughly 8% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Golden, BC 61% above, Montreal 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.69 CA$23.19

$18.22 CA$25.33

-8.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 CA$83.0

$70.6 CA$98.2

-15.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.33 CA$15.75

$10.89 CA$15.14

4.04%

Cappuccino

$4.18 CA$5.81

$3.92 CA$5.45

6.63%

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

$2.01 CA$2.79

$1.97 CA$2.74

2.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.34

$1.59 CA$2.21

5.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.55 CA$6.32

$6.52 CA$9.07

-30.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 CA$7.89

$7.24 CA$10.07

-21.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$2.29 CA$3.18

-49.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 CA$4.01

$3.11 CA$4.32

-7.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.47 CA$4.83

$3.03 CA$4.22

14.52%

Eggs

$3.16 CA$4.40

$3.59 CA$5.00

-11.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 CA$13.02

$14.29 CA$19.87

-34.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.41 CA$18.64

$11.39 CA$15.83

17.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.40 CA$29.74

$14.56 CA$20.24

46.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.76

$3.44 CA$4.78

-0.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.17

$1.53 CA$2.13

1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.00

$3.20 CA$4.45

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 CA$6.46

$2.89 CA$4.01

60.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.39

$1.91 CA$2.65

65.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.47

$1.80 CA$2.51

78.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.63

$2.56 CA$3.56

1.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.65

$1.50 CA$2.09

27.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.44 CA$20.08

$11.68 CA$16.24

23.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.85 CA$19.25

$10.62 CA$14.76

30.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 CA$3.70

$2.37 CA$3.30

12.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.40

$3.03 CA$4.22

4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.63

$2.72 CA$3.77

-4.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.6 CA$96.8

$74.2 CA$103

-6.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$3.90

$3.19 CA$4.44

-11.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 CA$2.54

$1.45 CA$2.02

26.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.14 CA$48.84

$33.52 CA$46.60

4.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.67

$1.31 CA$1.82

-8.40%

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

$28.9K CA$40.1K

$28.7K CA$39.8K

0.69%

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

$18.9K CA$26.3K

$20.4K CA$28.3K

-6.94%

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

$50.7 CA$70.5

$78.2 CA$109

-35.16%

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

$44.80 CA$62.3

$35.53 CA$49.39

26.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 CA$79.6

$43.37 CA$60.3

32.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.83 CA$56.8

$30.84 CA$42.87

32.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.31 CA$24.07

$19.99 CA$27.79

-13.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 CA$16.31

$11.58 CA$16.10

1.38%

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

$1,023 CA$1,422

$552 CA$768

85.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$16.5K CA$22.9K

1.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.86 CA$69.3

$55.4 CA$77.0

-9.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.83 CA$58.2

$38.30 CA$53.3

9.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$99.0 CA$138

-11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$140

$104 CA$145

-3.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 CA$1,770

$1,234 CA$1,715

3.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 CA$1,580

$990 CA$1,376

14.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,128

$2,171 CA$3,018

-29.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,792

$1,636 CA$2,274

-21.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,334 CA$6,025

$5,129 CA$7,130

-15.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,687 CA$5,125

$3,724 CA$5,177

-0.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,217 CA$4,472

$3,059 CA$4,252

5.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.69

4.44

5.63%

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

Last update for Golden, BC: September 14, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,273 in Golden, BC and $1,234 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Golden, BC pays 5% 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: $60.0 in Golden, BC vs $71.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $387 vs $354, 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

Golden, BC vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Golden, BC. 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 5% higher in Golden, 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: $1,273 in Golden, BC versus $1,234 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $60.0 in Golden, BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,199 per month in Golden, BC versus $2,042 in Montreal – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,042 in Montreal versus $2,199 in Golden, BC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Golden, BC. 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 $2,042 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Montreal hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Golden, 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 8% less than in Golden, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.