Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Parksville Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Parksville

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $1,164 in Parksville, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $2,966 in Parksville, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $4,767 in Parksville, rent included.

Montreal costs about 77% more than Parksville, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Montreal sits 50% above the global median, while Parksville is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.62

$18.38 CA$25.35

-2.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$99.7

$56.7 CA$78.2

27.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$10.70 CA$14.76

2.06%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.47

$3.53 CA$4.87

12.46%

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

$2.07 CA$2.86

$2.08 CA$2.87

-0.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$1.61 CA$2.22

-3.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.85

$5.28 CA$7.28

21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.05

$5.70 CA$7.86

27.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.29

$2.26 CA$3.12

5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.42

$2.08 CA$2.87

54.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.23

$2.93 CA$4.05

4.78%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.07

$3.28 CA$4.52

12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.72

$10.18 CA$14.04

33.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.03

$10.55 CA$14.55

10.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.27

$20.35 CA$28.06

-31.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.08

$3.22 CA$4.44

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$1.36 CA$1.87

14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.70

$2.99 CA$4.12

14.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.17

$3.02 CA$4.16

0.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.58 CA$3.56

-23.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.06 CA$2.85

-11.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.53

$2.04 CA$2.82

25.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.83 CA$2.52

-24.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.85

$14.24 CA$19.64

-19.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$14.38 CA$19.82

-24.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$2.51 CA$3.46

-9.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.15

$3.20 CA$4.41

-5.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.71

$2.46 CA$3.39

9.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.62

$2.67 CA$3.69

25.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.07

$1.61 CA$2.22

-6.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.47

$15.81 CA$21.80

113.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.27 CA$1.75

1.57%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

$26.9K CA$37.1K

5.12%

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

$20.0K CA$27.5K

$19.1K CA$26.3K

4.66%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$191 CA$264

-58.02%

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

$34.23 CA$47.21

$37.94 CA$52.3

-9.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.1

$66.3 CA$91.4

-37.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.32

$58.1 CA$80.1

-49.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.43

$18.19 CA$25.09

9.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.15

$12.91 CA$17.80

-9.30%

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

$564 CA$778

$863 CA$1,190

-34.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.2K

$12.3K CA$17.0K

36.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.1

$46.15 CA$63.6

28.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.1

$63.3 CA$87.2

-33.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$93.9 CA$129

14.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$88.9 CA$123

24.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,770

$1,356 CA$1,870

-5.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,365

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,116

$2,369 CA$3,266

-4.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,299

$2,220 CA$3,061

-24.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,291

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,258

$1,867 CA$2,575

104.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,163

$2,829 CA$3,901

6.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.87

-9.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Parksville: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,356 in Parksville. 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 7% higher in Montreal, 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 $72.0 in Montreal versus $57.0 in Parksville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $354 – making Parksville 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 Parksville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 77% more than Parksville, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,084 per month in Montreal and $1,746 in Parksville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Parksville, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Montreal and $57.0 in Parksville. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Parksville, where all-in costs run around $1,164, than in Montreal at $2,056. In Parksville it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Parksville costs $1,164 versus $2,056 in Montreal. 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 Parksville. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.