Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Golden, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Golden, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Montreal versus $1,796 in Golden, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $2,916 in Golden, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $4,037 in Golden, BC.

Living in Montreal is roughly 15% more expensive than Golden, BC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Golden, BC 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.05

$18.43 CA$25.52

-13.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$101

$66.0 CA$91.3

10.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.43

$11.25 CA$15.57

-0.89%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.26

$4.38 CA$6.07

-13.24%

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

$2.18 CA$3.01

$2.25 CA$3.11

-3.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.72 CA$2.38

-15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.48

$5.22 CA$7.23

17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.38

$6.43 CA$8.90

5.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.22

$1.20 CA$1.66

94.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.69

$2.94 CA$4.07

15.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.16

$3.12 CA$4.32

19.55%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.68

$3.58 CA$4.95

-5.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.50

$11.09 CA$15.36

46.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$15.98

$14.95 CA$20.70

-22.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.10

$20.08 CA$27.80

-24.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$3.83 CA$5.30

-2.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$1.37 CA$1.89

24.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.68

$3.76 CA$5.21

9.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.02

$4.02 CA$5.57

8.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$2.58 CA$3.57

5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$2.98 CA$4.13

-12.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$2.69 CA$3.72

-16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.76 CA$2.43

-1.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.43

$14.53 CA$20.11

-8.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$14.93

$13.68 CA$18.94

-21.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.17

$2.43 CA$3.36

23.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.80

$3.06 CA$4.24

13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.40 CA$3.32

14.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$61.8 CA$85.5

17.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$3.03 CA$4.20

19.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.75 CA$2.43

-16.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.30

$36.01 CA$49.85

-7.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.24 CA$1.72

-2.42%

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

$24.6K CA$34.1K

$25.3K CA$35.0K

-2.57%

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

$21.7K CA$30.0K

$20.2K CA$28.0K

7.40%

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

$76.0 CA$105

$50.7 CA$70.1

50.09%

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

$35.72 CA$49.46

$52.1 CA$72.1

-31.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.4

$65.7 CA$91.0

-34.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.4

$43.91 CA$60.8

-2.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.35

$11.94 CA$16.53

-7.12%

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

$620 CA$858

$728 CA$1,008

-14.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,078

$16.9K CA$23.4K

-65.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$52.1 CA$72.1

20.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.5

$40.17 CA$55.6

10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$139

$84.0 CA$116

19.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$125 CA$174

-5.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,677

$871 CA$1,206

39.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,329

$656 CA$908

46.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,818

$1,528 CA$2,116

33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,201

$1,322 CA$1,830

20.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,173

$4,016 CA$5,561

28.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,446

$3,776 CA$5,229

4.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,098

$3,210 CA$4,444

-7.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.53

-23.28%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Golden, BC: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $871 in Golden, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Golden, BC pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in Montreal vs $66.0 in Golden, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $390 per month, with Golden, 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 Golden, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Golden, BC wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Montreal. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Golden, BC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Golden, BC earns 8% 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 $871 in Golden, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Golden, BC – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $73.0 in Montreal. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,063 per month in Montreal versus $1,796 in Golden, BC – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,796 in Golden, BC versus $2,063 in Montreal, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Golden, BC but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Golden, BC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Golden, BC delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,796 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Golden, BC hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Golden, 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 Golden, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.