Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Duncan BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Duncan BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,354 in Duncan BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $3,584 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $4,813 in Duncan BC.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 12% less than in Duncan BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Duncan BC 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$18.54 CA$25.78

-14.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$69.5 CA$96.7

5.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$11.24 CA$15.63

-0.80%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$4.14 CA$5.76

-8.21%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.04 CA$2.83

6.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.81 CA$2.52

-19.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$5.10 CA$7.09

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$6.12 CA$8.51

10.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$1.53 CA$2.13

52.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.61 CA$3.63

29.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$5.36 CA$7.46

-30.41%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$3.53 CA$4.91

-4.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$10.25 CA$14.26

58.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$12.06 CA$16.77

-4.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$14.91 CA$20.74

2.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.34 CA$4.64

11.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.29 CA$1.80

31.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$3.00 CA$4.18

37.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$3.44 CA$4.79

26.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.38 CA$3.31

13.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.02 CA$2.82

29.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$2.37 CA$3.29

-5.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.75 CA$2.44

-1.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$14.34 CA$19.94

-7.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$12.01 CA$16.71

-10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$3.84 CA$5.34

-21.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$3.96 CA$5.50

-12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$1.98 CA$2.75

38.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$76.5 CA$106

-5.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$2.81 CA$3.91

29.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.50 CA$2.09

-2.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$29.01 CA$40.35

15.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.35 CA$1.88

-10.37%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$23.3K CA$32.4K

5.76%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$20.7K CA$28.7K

4.89%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$158 CA$220

-51.87%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$41.92 CA$58.3

-14.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$66.9 CA$93.0

-35.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$64.1 CA$89.2

-33.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$12.72 CA$17.69

-12.81%

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

$620 CA$862

$920 CA$1,279

-32.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$10.7K CA$14.9K

-45.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$56.5 CA$78.5

10.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$51.3 CA$71.4

-13.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$99.1 CA$138

1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$96.1 CA$134

23.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$1,280 CA$1,781

-5.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$1,154 CA$1,605

-16.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$2,411 CA$3,353

-15.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$2,216 CA$3,082

-28.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$4,387 CA$6,101

18.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$3,646 CA$5,071

7.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$3,217 CA$4,474

-8.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.54

-23.39%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $1,280 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 9% 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 $70.0 in Duncan BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $359 per month, with Duncan BC 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 Duncan BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Duncan BC earns 9% 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 $1,280 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Duncan BC pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreal – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $70.0 in Duncan BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,354 in Duncan BC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Duncan BC. 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 Duncan BC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Duncan BC 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 14% less than in Duncan BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.