Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Abbotsford Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Abbotsford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,256 in Abbotsford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $3,289 in Abbotsford, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $4,321 in Abbotsford, rent included.

Montreal is about 8% cheaper than Abbotsford, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Montreal and Abbotsford sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Abbotsford by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.16

$14.50 CA$20.33

13.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$58.6 CA$82.1

26.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.34

$9.69 CA$13.58

12.90%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.39

$3.89 CA$5.45

-1.29%

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

$2.14 CA$2.99

$2.03 CA$2.85

5.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.43 CA$2.00

1.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.60

$5.87 CA$8.23

4.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.44

$6.04 CA$8.47

11.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.30

$2.30 CA$3.22

2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.68

$2.63 CA$3.69

27.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

$3.79 CA$5.32

-1.32%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.76

$3.65 CA$5.12

-7.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.85

$12.57 CA$17.62

29.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.56

$13.98 CA$19.61

-15.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$21.93

$16.02 CA$22.46

-2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.18

$4.33 CA$6.07

-14.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.32 CA$1.85

28.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.76

$3.87 CA$5.43

6.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.18

$3.80 CA$5.32

16.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.91

$3.19 CA$4.47

-12.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$2.97 CA$4.16

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$2.74 CA$3.84

-16.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$1.80 CA$2.53

-1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.47

$15.33 CA$21.50

-14.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.92

$10.62 CA$14.89

0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.19

$3.10 CA$4.35

-3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.82

$3.72 CA$5.22

-7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.94

$3.48 CA$4.87

-19.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$48.27 CA$67.7

50.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.93

$3.76 CA$5.26

-6.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.48 CA$2.08

-2.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.08

$25.85 CA$36.25

32.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.23 CA$1.73

-0.81%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

-0.91%

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

$22.1K CA$31.0K

$20.2K CA$28.3K

9.58%

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

$76.5 CA$107

$91.3 CA$128

-16.16%

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

$35.60 CA$49.91

$40.51 CA$56.8

-12.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.2

$60.6 CA$85.0

-29.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$60.8

$25.04 CA$35.10

73.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.60

$18.17 CA$25.48

-7.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.55

$11.47 CA$16.08

-3.31%

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

$625 CA$876

$532 CA$745

17.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,266

$8,171 CA$11.5K

-27.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.5

$47.22 CA$66.2

33.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.4

$35.33 CA$49.54

25.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$144

$82.6 CA$116

24.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$105 CA$147

12.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,692

$1,373 CA$1,925

-12.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,353

$1,203 CA$1,686

-19.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,848

$1,999 CA$2,803

1.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,211

$1,777 CA$2,491

-11.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,129

$4,724 CA$6,622

7.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,304

$2,857 CA$4,006

32.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,051

$3,041 CA$4,263

-4.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.61

-10.70%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Abbotsford: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,373 in Abbotsford. 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 5% higher in Abbotsford, 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $59.0 in Abbotsford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $391 – making Abbotsford 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

Montreal vs Abbotsford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,085 in Montreal, $2,256 in Abbotsford – roughly 8% apart. Abbotsford costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,127 per month in Montreal and $3,384 in Abbotsford. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal and $59.0 in Abbotsford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,085 in Montreal and $2,256 in Abbotsford. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,085, than in Abbotsford at $2,256. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Abbotsford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,085 in Montreal to $2,256 in Abbotsford. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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