Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Port Alberni

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Alberni: $1,693 a month against $2,059 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
82

Cost of Living Index in Port Alberni
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Port Alberni Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Port Alberni

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,693

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Port Alberni

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montreal and in Port Alberni actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,059 per month in Montreal vs $1,693 in Port Alberni, rent included.

Montreal $2,059
Port Alberni $1,693

A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Montreal vs $2,834 in Port Alberni, rent included.

Montreal $3,123
Port Alberni $2,834

A family of three spends $4,187 per month in Montreal vs $3,976 in Port Alberni, rent included.

Montreal $4,187
Port Alberni $3,976

Montreal costs about 22% more than Port Alberni, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Port Alberni sit above the global median – Montreal by 52%, Port Alberni by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.84 CA$26.63

$18.06 CA$25.54

4.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 CA$104

$63.2 CA$89.4

15.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 CA$14.90

$10.51 CA$14.86

0.29%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.61

$4.00 CA$5.65

-0.75%

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

$1.94 CA$2.74

$2.12 CA$2.99

-8.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.22

$1.44 CA$2.04

9.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.42 CA$9.08

$3.48 CA$4.92

84.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 CA$10.19

$5.44 CA$7.69

32.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.28

$2.25 CA$3.18

3.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 CA$4.51

$2.31 CA$3.26

38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.50

$2.90 CA$4.10

10.00%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.20

$3.92 CA$5.54

-6.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 CA$18.72

$9.02 CA$12.76

46.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 CA$16.53

$4.29 CA$6.06

172.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 CA$19.76

$19.98 CA$28.24

-30.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.44

$2.75 CA$3.89

14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.08 CA$1.53

34.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.78

$3.44 CA$4.86

-1.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.40

$3.62 CA$5.12

-14.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.72

$2.15 CA$3.04

-10.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.58

$1.87 CA$2.64

-2.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 CA$3.34

$2.16 CA$3.05

9.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$0.75 CA$1.05

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CA$15.73

$10.52 CA$14.87

5.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.98

$10.58 CA$14.96

0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.14

$2.56 CA$3.62

-13.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$4.01

$2.88 CA$4.08

-1.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.71

$1.45 CA$2.05

80.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 CA$112

$34.08 CA$48.17

132.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.56

$2.71 CA$3.84

19.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.10

$1.60 CA$2.26

-7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.22 CA$45.55

$31.40 CA$44.39

2.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.21 CA$1.71

12.40%

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

$27.6K CA$39.1K

$27.3K CA$38.5K

1.42%

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

$21.2K CA$30.0K

$21.0K CA$29.6K

1.11%

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

$77.0 CA$109

$81.5 CA$115

-5.41%

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

$34.14 CA$48.26

$36.54 CA$51.7

-6.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.19 CA$59.7

$51.9 CA$73.4

-18.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.81 CA$43.56

$41.88 CA$59.2

-26.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 CA$27.79

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 CA$16.22

$12.61 CA$17.83

-9.04%

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

$506 CA$716

$1,088 CA$1,538

-53.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K CA$23.0K

$20.3K CA$28.6K

-19.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$81.0

$58.9 CA$83.2

-2.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 CA$53.9

$32.95 CA$46.58

15.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 CA$130

$95.4 CA$135

-3.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$94.4 CA$133

16.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 CA$1,748

$788 CA$1,114

56.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,381

$711 CA$1,005

37.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 CA$3,082

$1,697 CA$2,399

28.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 CA$2,273

$1,690 CA$2,390

-4.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,113 CA$7,228

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,744 CA$5,293

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,957 CA$4,180

$3,103 CA$4,387

-4.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

4.28

4.67%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Last update for Port Alberni: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$977 47.4%

Port Alberni

$711 42% 27.2% $266

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$351 17.1%

Port Alberni

$301 17.8% 14.3% $50

Eating Out

Montreal

$290 14.1%

Port Alberni

$267 15.7% 8.2% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$153 7.5%

Port Alberni

$170 10% 10.8% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$134 6.5%

Port Alberni

$127 7.5% 5.2% $6.9

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.9%

Port Alberni

$51 3% 49.6% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$54 2.6%

Port Alberni

$67 4% 24.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,237 in Montreal versus $788 in Port Alberni. 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 5% higher in Port Alberni, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal versus $63.0 in Port Alberni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $301 – making Port Alberni the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇨🇦 Port Alberni

🕒 Local time

00:14 12:14 AM

21:14 9:14 PM

3 h behind Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

17,743

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Montreal Port Alberni 3,810 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Port Alberni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 22% more than Port Alberni, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,089 per month in Montreal and $2,540 in Port Alberni. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 17% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal and $63.0 in Port Alberni. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Port Alberni, where all-in costs run around $1,693, than in Montreal at $2,059. In Port Alberni it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Port Alberni costs $1,693 versus $2,059 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 Port Alberni. 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.