Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Coquitlam Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Coquitlam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,949 in Coquitlam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $4,123 in Coquitlam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $5,297 in Coquitlam.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 30% less than in Coquitlam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Coquitlam 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$14.48 CA$20.14

9.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$51.3 CA$71.3

42.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$10.39 CA$14.45

7.31%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$3.69 CA$5.14

2.98%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$1.97 CA$2.74

10.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$2.10 CA$2.92

-30.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$5.22 CA$7.26

17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$5.80 CA$8.06

16.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$1.44 CA$2.00

61.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.99 CA$4.16

13.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$2.25 CA$3.13

65.78%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$3.98 CA$5.53

-15.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$10.51 CA$14.62

54.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$16.30 CA$22.67

-29.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$14.44 CA$20.08

5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$4.55 CA$6.32

-17.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.43 CA$1.99

18.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$5.08 CA$7.07

-19.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$4.56 CA$6.35

-4.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$1.60 CA$2.23

69.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$1.77 CA$2.46

48.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$2.98 CA$4.14

-24.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.09 CA$1.51

58.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$14.11 CA$19.62

-5.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$12.43 CA$17.29

-13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$3.90 CA$5.42

-22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$2.34 CA$3.26

47.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.34 CA$3.25

17.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$77.9 CA$108

-6.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$2.76 CA$3.84

31.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.57 CA$2.19

-7.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$24.93 CA$34.67

34.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.37 CA$1.90

-11.68%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$24.5K CA$34.1K

0.45%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$20.1K CA$27.9K

7.95%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$132 CA$184

-42.60%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$36.68 CA$51.0

-2.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$60.9 CA$84.7

-29.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$27.85 CA$38.73

54.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

$11.15 CA$15.50

54.53%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$11.20 CA$15.58

-0.98%

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

$620 CA$862

$1,230 CA$1,710

-49.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$12.4K CA$17.2K

-52.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$70.7 CA$98.3

-11.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$45.66 CA$63.5

-2.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$95.1 CA$132

5.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$115 CA$159

3.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$2,055 CA$2,859

-41.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$1,817 CA$2,527

-47.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$3,665 CA$5,097

-44.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$2,680 CA$3,727

-40.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$6,103 CA$8,487

-15.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$5,152 CA$7,165

-23.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$3,140 CA$4,367

-5.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.61

-24.21%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Coquitlam: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $2,055 in Coquitlam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays 6% 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: $73.0 in Montreal vs $51.0 in Coquitlam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $382 per month, with Coquitlam 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 Coquitlam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Coquitlam earns 6% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,211 in Montreal versus $2,055 in Coquitlam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,063 per month in Montreal versus $2,949 in Coquitlam – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 7% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,949 in Coquitlam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Coquitlam. 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 Coquitlam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Coquitlam 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 43% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.