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 $2,080 per month in Montreal vs $2,378 in Nelson BC, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,136 per month in Montreal vs $3,299 in Nelson BC, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,193 per month in Montreal vs $4,220 in Nelson BC, rent included.

Montreal is about 13% cheaper than Nelson BC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Montreal and Nelson BC sit above the global median – Montreal by 55%, Nelson BC by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.16 CA$22.14

$14.77 CA$20.23

9.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 CA$102

$67.0 CA$91.9

10.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$14.98

$8.99 CA$12.32

21.69%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.05

$3.99 CA$5.46

-7.77%

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

$2.07 CA$2.84

$2.22 CA$3.05

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.05

$1.72 CA$2.35

-13.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.20

$5.10 CA$6.98

17.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 CA$9.27

$6.00 CA$8.21

12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.18

$1.95 CA$2.67

18.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.40

$3.13 CA$4.29

2.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$3.15 CA$4.31

18.73%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.48

$3.79 CA$5.19

-13.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.08 CA$22.02

$11.05 CA$15.13

45.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$15.84

$14.88 CA$20.39

-22.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$19.89 CA$27.25

-21.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.81 CA$5.22

-3.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.33

$0.63 CA$0.86

169.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.56

$1.64 CA$2.24

147.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.82

$4.02 CA$5.51

5.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.58 CA$3.53

6.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.65

$2.93 CA$4.01

-9.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 CA$2.96

$2.70 CA$3.69

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.35

$1.84 CA$2.52

-6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.21 CA$18.10

$14.94 CA$20.46

-11.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.08 CA$15.19

$13.28 CA$18.19

-16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$2.40 CA$3.29

23.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CA$4.91

$3.06 CA$4.19

16.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CA$3.89

$1.45 CA$1.98

95.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 CA$103

$61.9 CA$84.9

20.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 CA$4.96

$2.92 CA$4.00

23.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.98

$1.72 CA$2.35

-16.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.03 CA$46.62

$34.94 CA$47.87

-2.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.61

$1.26 CA$1.72

-6.35%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.2K CA$34.6K

-0.34%

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

$21.5K CA$29.4K

$20.0K CA$27.4K

7.14%

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

$75.5 CA$103

$143 CA$195

-47.05%

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

$35.70 CA$48.91

$51.3 CA$70.3

-30.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 CA$58.9

$58.1 CA$79.6

-25.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.58 CA$58.3

$41.93 CA$57.4

1.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.17 CA$23.53

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 CA$15.16

$11.71 CA$16.04

-5.47%

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

$616 CA$844

$1,078 CA$1,477

-42.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,799 CA$7,945

$17.0K CA$23.2K

-65.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 CA$85.3

$52.9 CA$72.4

17.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.77 CA$60.0

$39.71 CA$54.4

10.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$140

$84.6 CA$116

20.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$166

$129 CA$177

-6.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 CA$1,657

$1,417 CA$1,941

-14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 CA$1,329

$1,161 CA$1,591

-16.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 CA$2,856

$2,210 CA$3,028

-5.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 CA$2,186

$1,529 CA$2,095

4.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,442 CA$7,456

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,046 CA$5,543

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,990 CA$4,096

$3,272 CA$4,483

-8.62%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Nelson BC: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,209 in Montreal versus $1,417 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 9% 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 in Montreal versus $67 in Nelson BC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $386 – making Nelson BC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 $3,120 per month in Montreal and $3,567 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Nelson BC – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal and $67.0 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 $2,080, than in Nelson BC at $2,378. 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 $2,080 versus $2,378 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.