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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $2,336 in Abbotsford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $3,346 in Abbotsford, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $4,355 in Abbotsford, rent included.

Montreal is about 12% cheaper than Abbotsford, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Abbotsford sit above the global median – Montreal by 50%, Abbotsford by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.70

$14.96 CA$20.70

19.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$58.0 CA$80.2

24.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$10.31 CA$14.26

5.92%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$3.84 CA$5.32

3.39%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$1.83 CA$2.54

13.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.63 CA$2.26

-4.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$5.97 CA$8.25

7.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.09

$5.70 CA$7.89

27.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$1.88 CA$2.60

27.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$2.25 CA$3.11

42.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$4.50 CA$6.23

-31.78%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$3.22 CA$4.46

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.78

$12.87 CA$17.81

5.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.09

$18.65 CA$25.81

-37.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.33

$26.84 CA$37.13

-47.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$6.22 CA$8.60

-40.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.20 CA$1.66

30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$3.76 CA$5.20

-9.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$3.63 CA$5.02

-16.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$4.20 CA$5.81

-52.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.63 CA$3.63

-30.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.66 CA$3.68

-3.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.85 CA$2.56

-24.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$16.21 CA$22.43

-29.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$10.82 CA$14.97

0.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$4.27 CA$5.91

-47.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$3.85 CA$5.33

-21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$3.18 CA$4.41

-15.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$46.32 CA$64.1

62.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$3.60 CA$4.98

-6.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.43 CA$1.98

4.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.63

$24.79 CA$34.30

35.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.31 CA$1.81

-1.53%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$29.1K CA$40.3K

-2.93%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$19.4K CA$26.8K

3.07%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$115 CA$159

-29.90%

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

$34.23 CA$47.37

$44.35 CA$61.4

-22.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$70.1 CA$97.0

-40.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.46

$30.51 CA$42.22

-4.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.52

$16.09 CA$22.26

23.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.20

$11.29 CA$15.62

3.72%

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

$564 CA$781

$377 CA$522

49.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$8,008 CA$11.1K

110.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.3

$54.3 CA$75.1

9.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$35.09 CA$48.56

20.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$82.9 CA$115

29.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$104 CA$144

6.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,776

$1,317 CA$1,822

-2.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,370

$1,101 CA$1,524

-10.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,127

$1,927 CA$2,666

17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,307

$1,721 CA$2,382

-3.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,316

$4,740 CA$6,559

11.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,276

$2,889 CA$3,998

31.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,177

$3,183 CA$4,405

-5.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.72

-6.57%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Abbotsford: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,317 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 $72.0 in Montreal versus $58.0 in Abbotsford. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Montreal vs $457 in Abbotsford – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $2,056 in Montreal, $2,336 in Abbotsford – roughly 14% apart. Abbotsford costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,084 per month in Montreal and $3,504 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 $72.0 in Montreal and $58.0 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 $2,056 in Montreal and $2,336 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 $2,056, than in Abbotsford at $2,336. 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 $2,056 in Montreal to $2,336 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.