Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and North Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and North Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $2,797 in North Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $4,453 in North Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $6,108 in North Vancouver, rent included.

Montreal is about 26% cheaper than North Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and North Vancouver sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, North Vancouver by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$18.04 CA$25.09

-11.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$69.1 CA$96.1

5.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$10.38 CA$14.43

7.42%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$4.12 CA$5.74

-7.77%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.05 CA$2.85

6.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.30 CA$1.81

12.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$5.08 CA$7.06

20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$6.82 CA$9.48

-0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.19 CA$3.05

6.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.62 CA$3.64

29.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$2.67 CA$3.72

39.70%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$3.76 CA$5.23

-10.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$10.48 CA$14.57

55.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$11.67 CA$16.23

-1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$14.50 CA$20.16

5.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.48 CA$4.84

7.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.43 CA$1.99

18.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$2.96 CA$4.12

38.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$4.00 CA$5.56

8.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.44 CA$3.39

11.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.09 CA$2.90

25.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$2.47 CA$3.43

-8.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.21 CA$1.68

42.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$14.76 CA$20.53

-9.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$13.06 CA$18.17

-17.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$3.90 CA$5.42

-22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$2.33 CA$3.24

48.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.63 CA$3.66

4.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$89.7 CA$125

-19.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$2.66 CA$3.70

36.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.55 CA$2.16

-5.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$28.74 CA$39.97

16.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.30 CA$1.81

-6.92%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$24.7K CA$34.4K

-0.22%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

5.92%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$133 CA$186

-43.01%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$42.28 CA$58.8

-15.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$66.6 CA$92.7

-35.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$33.30 CA$46.32

28.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

$29.62 CA$41.19

-41.83%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$12.36 CA$17.18

-10.28%

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

$620 CA$862

$1,207 CA$1,678

-48.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$11.2K CA$15.5K

-47.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$54.8 CA$76.2

14.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$45.49 CA$63.3

-2.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$95.4 CA$133

5.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$115 CA$159

3.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$1,880 CA$2,614

-35.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$1,683 CA$2,340

-42.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$3,552 CA$4,940

-42.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$3,435 CA$4,777

-53.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$8,170 CA$11.4K

-36.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$6,898 CA$9,593

-42.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$3,092 CA$4,300

-4.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.54

-23.39%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for North Vancouver: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal versus $1,880 in North Vancouver. 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 4% higher in North Vancouver, 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 $69.0 in North Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $351 – making North Vancouver 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 North Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Vancouver costs about 36% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,094 per month in Montreal and $4,195 in North Vancouver. 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 12% cheaper in North Vancouver – 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 $69.0 in North Vancouver. 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 $2,063, than in North Vancouver at $2,797. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,797 in North Vancouver. 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, North Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.