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 $2,084 per month in Montreal vs $2,306 in Nelson BC, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,161 per month in Montreal vs $3,214 in Nelson BC, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,239 per month in Montreal vs $4,121 in Nelson BC, rent included.

Montreal is about 10% 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 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 CA$22.30

$14.78 CA$20.65

8.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 CA$102

$66.9 CA$93.4

9.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.32

$9.29 CA$12.98

18.08%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.29

$3.98 CA$5.56

-4.77%

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

$2.16 CA$3.01

$2.17 CA$3.04

-0.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.81 CA$2.53

-17.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 CA$8.24

$5.19 CA$7.25

13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 CA$9.52

$5.84 CA$8.16

16.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$1.90 CA$2.65

21.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CA$4.72

$3.24 CA$4.53

4.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.36

$3.03 CA$4.23

26.40%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.75

$3.70 CA$5.16

-8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.11 CA$22.50

$11.09 CA$15.49

45.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.46

$14.94 CA$20.87

-21.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 CA$21.40

$20.43 CA$28.53

-25.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.11

$3.78 CA$5.28

-3.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$0.68 CA$0.94

136.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.68

$1.64 CA$2.28

148.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.14

$3.86 CA$5.40

13.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$2.51 CA$3.51

6.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.72

$2.83 CA$3.96

-6.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$2.72 CA$3.80

-15.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.48

$1.79 CA$2.50

-1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.07 CA$18.25

$14.48 CA$20.23

-9.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 CA$14.94

$13.77 CA$19.23

-22.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.37

$2.37 CA$3.31

32.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.82

$3.15 CA$4.39

9.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$1.45 CA$2.03

95.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$102

$61.6 CA$86.1

17.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.92

$2.94 CA$4.11

19.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.70 CA$2.38

-15.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.29 CA$46.48

$35.93 CA$50.2

-7.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.22 CA$1.70

0.82%

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

$25.4K CA$35.4K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

0.09%

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

$21.5K CA$30.0K

$20.3K CA$28.3K

5.68%

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

$73.9 CA$103

$144 CA$201

-48.61%

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

$36.87 CA$51.5

$52.3 CA$73.1

-29.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.97 CA$60.0

$60.0 CA$83.8

-28.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.82 CA$59.8

$42.06 CA$58.7

1.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 CA$23.55

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 CA$15.63

$11.84 CA$16.53

-5.49%

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

$608 CA$850

$1,066 CA$1,489

-42.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 CA$8,132

$17.3K CA$24.1K

-66.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 CA$85.3

$51.4 CA$71.8

18.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.96 CA$62.8

$40.91 CA$57.1

9.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$143

$85.9 CA$120

18.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$170

$127 CA$177

-3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 CA$1,674

$1,399 CA$1,954

-14.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 CA$1,316

$1,200 CA$1,676

-21.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 CA$2,914

$2,191 CA$3,059

-4.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 CA$2,178

$1,553 CA$2,169

0.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,093 CA$7,112

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,283

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,880 CA$4,022

$3,150 CA$4,399

-8.56%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Nelson BC: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,198 in Montreal versus $1,399 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $67.0 in Nelson BC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $388 – 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 11% 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 $3,126 per month in Montreal and $3,459 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 $73.0 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 $2,084, than in Nelson BC at $2,306. 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 $2,084 versus $2,306 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.