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: $2,085 in Montreal versus $2,945 in Coquitlam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,174 in Montreal versus $4,066 in Coquitlam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,262 in Montreal versus $5,187 in Coquitlam.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 29% less than in Coquitlam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 56% above, Coquitlam 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$14.63 CA$20.59

12.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$52.3 CA$73.6

41.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$10.14 CA$14.26

7.89%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.70 CA$5.20

3.78%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$1.98 CA$2.79

8.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$2.09 CA$2.94

-30.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$5.26 CA$7.41

16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$5.86 CA$8.24

14.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$1.52 CA$2.14

54.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$3.11 CA$4.38

7.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$2.18 CA$3.07

71.56%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$4.03 CA$5.67

-15.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$10.21 CA$14.37

59.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$16.17 CA$22.76

-26.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$14.74 CA$20.74

6.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$4.54 CA$6.39

-18.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.39 CA$1.96

22.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$4.98 CA$7.01

-17.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$4.52 CA$6.37

-2.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$1.59 CA$2.24

75.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$1.76 CA$2.48

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$3.00 CA$4.23

-23.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$1.12 CA$1.57

58.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$14.39 CA$20.25

-8.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$11.85 CA$16.68

-10.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$3.74 CA$5.26

-20.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$2.32 CA$3.26

48.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$2.36 CA$3.32

19.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$76.1 CA$107

-4.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$2.66 CA$3.74

32.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.58 CA$2.23

-8.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$25.14 CA$35.38

36.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.32 CA$1.85

-7.58%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$24.6K CA$34.6K

2.66%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$20.3K CA$28.6K

8.78%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$137 CA$193

-44.15%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$37.52 CA$52.8

-5.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$58.8 CA$82.7

-26.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$27.63 CA$38.88

57.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$11.22 CA$15.79

50.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$11.01 CA$15.50

0.73%

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

$625 CA$879

$1,216 CA$1,711

-48.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$12.1K CA$17.0K

-51.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$71.2 CA$100

-11.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$45.29 CA$63.7

-1.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$97.3 CA$137

5.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$115 CA$162

2.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$2,061 CA$2,901

-41.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$1,806 CA$2,541

-46.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$3,625 CA$5,101

-43.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$2,670 CA$3,757

-40.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$6,118 CA$8,609

-16.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

$4,906 CA$6,904

-22.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$3,074 CA$4,326

-6.01%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Coquitlam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,207 in Montreal and $2,061 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: $74.0 in Montreal vs $52.0 in Coquitlam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $381 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 Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Coquitlam. 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: $1,207 in Montreal versus $2,061 in Coquitlam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,085 per month in Montreal versus $2,945 in Coquitlam – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 5% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,085 in Montreal versus $2,945 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 41% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.