Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Quesnel Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Quesnel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,084 per month in Montreal vs $2,469 in Quesnel, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,161 per month in Montreal vs $3,464 in Quesnel, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,239 per month in Montreal vs $4,458 in Quesnel, rent included.

Montreal is about 16% cheaper than Quesnel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Quesnel sit above the global median – Montreal by 55%, Quesnel by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 CA$22.30

$18.74 CA$26.16

-14.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 CA$102

$47.16 CA$65.9

55.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.32

$11.42 CA$15.95

-3.94%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.29

$4.29 CA$5.99

-11.66%

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

$2.16 CA$3.01

$2.11 CA$2.94

2.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.69 CA$2.36

-11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 CA$8.24

$4.51 CA$6.30

30.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 CA$9.52

$5.98 CA$8.35

14.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$2.88 CA$4.02

-19.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CA$4.72

$2.84 CA$3.97

19.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.36

$5.09 CA$7.10

-24.75%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.75

$3.99 CA$5.57

-14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.11 CA$22.50

$6.78 CA$9.47

137.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.46

$8.88 CA$12.39

32.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 CA$21.40

$10.85 CA$15.15

41.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.11

$4.63 CA$6.47

-20.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.42 CA$1.98

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.68

$4.64 CA$6.48

-12.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.14

$3.94 CA$5.51

11.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$4.33 CA$6.04

-38.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.72

$3.57 CA$4.99

-25.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$3.39 CA$4.73

-32.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.48

$1.70 CA$2.37

4.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.07 CA$18.25

$12.52 CA$17.48

4.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 CA$14.94

$10.87 CA$15.18

-1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.37

$2.91 CA$4.07

7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.82

$4.72 CA$6.59

-26.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$1.83 CA$2.55

55.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$102

$63.3 CA$88.5

14.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.92

$2.59 CA$3.62

35.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$2.04 CA$2.85

-29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.29 CA$46.48

$43.32 CA$60.5

-23.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$1.23 CA$1.72

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

$25.4K CA$35.4K

$25.4K CA$35.5K

-0.29%

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

$21.5K CA$30.0K

$18.4K CA$25.7K

16.50%

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

$73.9 CA$103

$219 CA$306

-66.29%

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

$36.87 CA$51.5

$43.61 CA$60.9

-15.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.97 CA$60.0

$68.1 CA$95.1

-36.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.82 CA$59.8

$72.8 CA$102

-41.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 CA$23.55

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 CA$15.63

$10.05 CA$14.03

11.34%

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

$608 CA$850

$561 CA$784

8.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 CA$8,132

$11.6K CA$16.2K

-49.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 CA$85.3

$38.52 CA$53.8

58.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.96 CA$62.8

$57.7 CA$80.6

-22.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$143

$80.5 CA$112

26.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$170

$111 CA$155

10.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 CA$1,674

$943 CA$1,318

27.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 CA$1,316

$1,176 CA$1,642

-19.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 CA$2,914

$1,995 CA$2,786

4.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 CA$2,178

$1,810 CA$2,528

-13.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,093 CA$7,112

$4,758 CA$6,645

7.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,283

$4,274 CA$5,969

-11.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,880 CA$4,022

$2,483 CA$3,468

16.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.46

-22.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: June 7, 2026

Last update for Quesnel: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,198 in Montreal versus $943 in Quesnel. 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 16% higher in Montreal, 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 $47.00 in Quesnel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $361 – making Quesnel 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 Quesnel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quesnel costs about 18% 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 $3,126 per month in Montreal and $3,704 in Quesnel. 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 9% cheaper in Quesnel – 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 $47.00 in Quesnel. 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 Quesnel at $2,469. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quesnel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,084 versus $2,469 in Quesnel. 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, Quesnel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.