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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,073 per month in Montreal vs $2,363 in Nelson BC, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,175 per month in Montreal vs $3,272 in Nelson BC, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,277 per month in Montreal vs $4,182 in Nelson BC, rent included.

Montreal is about 12% cheaper than Nelson BC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Montreal and Nelson BC sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Nelson BC by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 CA$22.77

$14.62 CA$20.53

10.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 CA$104

$66.4 CA$93.2

11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 CA$15.64

$8.93 CA$12.53

24.75%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.37

$4.11 CA$5.76

-6.81%

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

$2.13 CA$3.00

$2.16 CA$3.03

-1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.73 CA$2.43

-16.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 CA$8.58

$5.29 CA$7.43

15.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 CA$9.07

$5.80 CA$8.14

11.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.14

$1.96 CA$2.75

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.52

$3.23 CA$4.54

-0.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.13

$3.12 CA$4.37

16.99%

Eggs

$3.36 CA$4.72

$3.71 CA$5.20

-9.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.97 CA$22.41

$11.37 CA$15.96

40.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 CA$16.62

$15.21 CA$21.35

-22.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.18 CA$21.31

$19.77 CA$27.76

-23.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

$3.75 CA$5.26

-0.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$0.64 CA$0.90

165.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$1.64 CA$2.30

142.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.25

$3.99 CA$5.60

11.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.73

$2.51 CA$3.53

5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$2.99 CA$4.20

-14.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.12

$2.71 CA$3.80

-18.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$1.82 CA$2.56

-6.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.02 CA$18.27

$15.01 CA$21.06

-13.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 CA$15.08

$13.24 CA$18.58

-18.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.30

$2.42 CA$3.40

26.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 CA$4.98

$3.10 CA$4.36

14.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$1.44 CA$2.02

86.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.0 CA$104

$62.9 CA$88.3

17.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 CA$5.11

$2.90 CA$4.07

25.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$1.68 CA$2.36

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.18 CA$47.98

$35.52 CA$49.85

-3.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.22 CA$1.71

-4.10%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$25.0K CA$35.1K

-0.46%

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

$22.0K CA$30.9K

$19.7K CA$27.7K

11.88%

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

$75.2 CA$106

$142 CA$200

-47.14%

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

$36.93 CA$51.8

$51.6 CA$72.4

-28.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.25 CA$62.1

$59.6 CA$83.7

-25.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 CA$59.0

$41.78 CA$58.6

0.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.79 CA$23.56

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 CA$15.26

$11.61 CA$16.30

-6.37%

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

$624 CA$876

$1,056 CA$1,482

-40.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 CA$8,220

$16.9K CA$23.7K

-65.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 CA$86.6

$52.7 CA$74.0

17.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.74 CA$62.8

$40.14 CA$56.3

11.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$143

$86.2 CA$121

17.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$169

$129 CA$181

-6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 CA$1,712

$1,373 CA$1,928

-11.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 CA$1,341

$1,169 CA$1,641

-18.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 CA$2,869

$2,249 CA$3,157

-9.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 CA$2,223

$1,526 CA$2,142

3.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,158 CA$7,239

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,803 CA$5,338

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,899 CA$4,069

$3,185 CA$4,471

-8.99%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Nelson BC: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,220 in Montreal versus $1,373 in Nelson 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 10% higher in Nelson 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $66.0 in Nelson BC. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Montreal vs $389 in Nelson BC – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nelson BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nelson BC costs about 14% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,110 per month in Montreal and $3,544 in Nelson 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Nelson BC, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal and $66.0 in Nelson BC. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,073, than in Nelson BC at $2,363. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nelson BC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,073 versus $2,363 in Nelson BC. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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