Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Campbell River Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Campbell River

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,042 in Montreal versus $2,420 in Campbell River.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,163 in Montreal versus $3,529 in Campbell River.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,284 in Montreal versus $4,637 in Campbell River.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 16% less than in Campbell River, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 49% above, Campbell River 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.22 CA$25.33

$18.04 CA$25.07

1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$98.2

$71.7 CA$99.6

-1.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 CA$15.14

$10.97 CA$15.25

-0.73%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.45

$4.25 CA$5.91

-7.76%

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

$1.97 CA$2.74

$2.41 CA$3.35

-18.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.21

$0.99 CA$1.38

60.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 CA$9.07

$5.87 CA$8.17

11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 CA$10.07

$6.46 CA$8.98

12.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.18

$3.04 CA$4.22

-24.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 CA$4.32

$3.11 CA$4.33

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.22

$4.04 CA$5.62

-25.00%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$5.00

$4.34 CA$6.03

-17.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 CA$19.87

$8.50 CA$11.82

68.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 CA$15.83

$9.68 CA$13.45

17.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.24

$14.98 CA$20.83

-2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.78

$3.27 CA$4.55

5.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.41 CA$1.96

8.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.45

$3.65 CA$5.08

-12.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.01

$3.66 CA$5.09

-21.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.65

$3.48 CA$4.83

-45.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 CA$2.51

$2.87 CA$3.98

-37.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.56

$3.30 CA$4.58

-22.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$2.50 CA$3.47

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 CA$16.24

$15.33 CA$21.30

-23.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 CA$14.76

$18.34 CA$25.49

-42.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.30

$3.96 CA$5.50

-40.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.22

$3.56 CA$4.94

-14.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$1.48 CA$2.05

83.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 CA$103

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.44

$2.83 CA$3.93

12.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$1.57 CA$2.18

-7.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.52 CA$46.60

$34.18 CA$47.51

-1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$1.26 CA$1.76

3.97%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$28.9K CA$40.2K

-0.90%

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

$20.4K CA$28.3K

$18.4K CA$25.6K

10.48%

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

$78.2 CA$109

$54.6 CA$75.9

43.28%

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

$35.53 CA$49.39

$45.22 CA$62.9

-21.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.37 CA$60.3

$63.6 CA$88.4

-31.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.84 CA$42.87

$46.06 CA$64.0

-33.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.99 CA$27.79

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 CA$16.10

$10.89 CA$15.14

6.34%

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

$552 CA$768

$917 CA$1,275

-39.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K CA$22.9K

$23.0K CA$32.0K

-28.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$77.0

$43.89 CA$61.0

26.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.30 CA$53.3

$45.17 CA$62.8

-15.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 CA$138

$73.5 CA$102

34.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$145

$90.6 CA$126

15.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CA$1,715

$1,482 CA$2,060

-16.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,376

$1,394 CA$1,938

-28.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 CA$3,018

$2,190 CA$3,045

-0.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 CA$2,274

$2,199 CA$3,057

-25.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,129 CA$7,130

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,724 CA$5,177

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,059 CA$4,252

$2,299 CA$3,196

33.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.32

2.78%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 13, 2026

Last update for Campbell River: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,234 in Montreal and $1,482 in Campbell River. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Montreal vs $72.0 in Campbell River for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $395 per month, with Montreal 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

Montreal vs Campbell River: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Campbell River. 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 33% higher in Montreal, 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: $1,234 in Montreal versus $1,482 in Campbell River. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Campbell River. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,042 per month in Montreal versus $2,420 in Campbell River – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,042 in Montreal versus $2,420 in Campbell River, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Campbell River. 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, Montreal and Campbell River 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 19% less than in Campbell River. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.