Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Nanaimo, BC

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,067 a month against $2,383 in Nanaimo, BC, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
114

Cost of Living Index in Nanaimo, BC
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Nanaimo, BC Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,067

/mo nomad

Nanaimo, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,383

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Nanaimo, BC

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montreal and in Nanaimo, BC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,067 per month in Montreal vs $2,383 in Nanaimo, BC, rent included.

Montreal $2,067
Nanaimo, BC $2,383

A couple spends around $3,179 per month in Montreal vs $3,379 in Nanaimo, BC, rent included.

Montreal $3,179
Nanaimo, BC $3,379

A family of three spends $4,291 per month in Montreal vs $4,375 in Nanaimo, BC, rent included.

Montreal $4,291
Nanaimo, BC $4,375

Montreal is about 13% cheaper than Nanaimo, BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Nanaimo, BC sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Nanaimo, BC by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.89 CA$26.36

$17.55 CA$24.50

7.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 CA$101

$77.9 CA$109

-6.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 CA$15.06

$11.35 CA$15.85

-4.93%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.56

$3.97 CA$5.54

0.25%

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

$2.02 CA$2.81

$2.27 CA$3.17

-11.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$1.63 CA$2.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 CA$8.82

$5.89 CA$8.22

7.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 CA$9.86

$5.69 CA$7.94

24.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.26

$1.67 CA$2.33

39.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CA$4.53

$3.32 CA$4.63

-2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.55

$3.16 CA$4.41

3.16%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.85

$4.24 CA$5.92

-17.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.16

$11.51 CA$16.07

19.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.01

$13.86 CA$19.34

-17.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 CA$19.90

$17.38 CA$24.25

-17.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.92

$4.30 CA$6.00

-18.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.29 CA$1.81

13.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.76

$4.43 CA$6.19

-23.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.47

$5.78 CA$8.06

-44.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.70

$2.41 CA$3.36

-19.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CA$2.49

$2.85 CA$3.97

-37.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$2.82 CA$3.94

-10.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.21

$2.31 CA$3.22

-31.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.51 CA$16.06

$14.51 CA$20.25

-20.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 CA$14.75

$14.04 CA$19.59

-24.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$2.55 CA$3.56

-7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.04

$2.64 CA$3.69

9.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$1.95 CA$2.72

33.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.5 CA$109

$46.89 CA$65.4

67.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$2.83 CA$3.94

12.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.94 CA$2.71

-23.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.49 CA$46.73

$36.00 CA$50.2

-6.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.90

$1.34 CA$1.87

1.49%

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

$28.0K CA$39.1K

$26.0K CA$36.3K

7.82%

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

$21.1K CA$29.5K

$21.0K CA$29.3K

0.75%

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

$77.6 CA$108

$149 CA$208

-47.91%

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

$35.63 CA$49.72

$40.43 CA$56.4

-11.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.73 CA$61.0

$66.5 CA$92.8

-34.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.07 CA$41.97

$25.98 CA$36.25

15.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.97 CA$27.87

$19.63 CA$27.39

1.73%

Cinema Ticket

$11.27 CA$15.73

$10.98 CA$15.32

2.64%

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

$522 CA$728

$699 CA$975

-25.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K CA$24.8K

$15.1K CA$21.0K

18.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$82.3

$50.2 CA$70.0

17.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.01 CA$54.4

$33.30 CA$46.47

17.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 CA$139

$99.5 CA$139

0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$113 CA$158

-2.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 CA$1,812

$1,445 CA$2,017

-10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 CA$1,354

$1,191 CA$1,662

-18.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 CA$3,242

$2,060 CA$2,875

12.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 CA$2,357

$1,639 CA$2,287

3.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,004 CA$6,982

$3,800 CA$5,304

31.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,736 CA$5,214

$3,417 CA$4,768

9.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,943 CA$4,107

$3,169 CA$4,422

-7.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.72

-4.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: November 3, 2026

Last update for Nanaimo, BC: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$970 47%

Nanaimo, BC

$1.2K 50% 22.7% $221

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$357 17.3%

Nanaimo, BC

$409 17.2% 14.6% $52

Eating Out

Montreal

$292 14.1%

Nanaimo, BC

$279 11.7% 4.5% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$157 7.6%

Nanaimo, BC

$256 10.7% 63% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$138 6.7%

Nanaimo, BC

$133 5.6% 3.7% $5.2

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.8%

Nanaimo, BC

$67 2.8% 32.5% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$53 2.6%

Nanaimo, BC

$48 2% 8.9% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,298 in Montreal versus $1,445 in Nanaimo, BC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Nanaimo, BC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Montreal versus $78 in Nanaimo, BC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $409 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇨🇦 Nanaimo, BC

🕒 Local time

18:10 6:10 PM

16:10 4:10 PM

2 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

90,504

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.717 USD

1 CAD = 0.637 EUR

1 CAD = 0.717 USD

1 CAD = 0.637 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Montreal Nanaimo, BC 3,750 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Nanaimo, BC

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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 Nanaimo, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanaimo, BC costs about 15% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,100 per month in Montreal and $3,575 in Nanaimo, BC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,298 there versus $1,445 in Nanaimo, BC.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Nanaimo, BC, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Montreal and $78 in Nanaimo, BC. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,067 in Montreal and $2,383 in Nanaimo, BC. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Montreal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nanaimo, BC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.