Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Saanich Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Saanich

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,108 per month in Montreal vs $2,641 in Saanich, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,226 per month in Montreal vs $3,666 in Saanich, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,344 per month in Montreal vs $4,692 in Saanich, rent included.

Montreal is about 20% cheaper than Saanich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Saanich sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Saanich by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.72

$18.03 CA$25.01

-1.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$73.1 CA$101

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.00

$10.66 CA$14.78

1.41%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.44

$4.31 CA$5.97

-9.05%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$2.27 CA$3.15

-10.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.76 CA$2.44

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 CA$9.13

$5.63 CA$7.80

17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CA$9.90

$6.36 CA$8.81

12.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.07 CA$2.87

14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$3.24 CA$4.49

-0.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.20 CA$4.44

-7.81%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.12

$4.09 CA$5.67

-9.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.93

$11.38 CA$15.79

19.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.56

$12.58 CA$17.45

-5.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.52

$17.41 CA$24.15

-19.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$4.48 CA$6.21

-19.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.43 CA$1.98

8.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$4.50 CA$6.24

-26.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$4.61 CA$6.40

-33.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$3.64 CA$5.05

-45.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$3.02 CA$4.18

-37.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$3.30 CA$4.58

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$2.25 CA$3.12

-38.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CA$16.36

$12.46 CA$17.28

-5.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 CA$14.98

$15.87 CA$22.00

-31.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$2.62 CA$3.63

-9.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$3.53 CA$4.89

-17.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.41 CA$3.34

13.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 CA$107

$78.8 CA$109

-2.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$2.83 CA$3.93

16.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.64 CA$2.27

-10.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.98 CA$45.74

$29.00 CA$40.22

13.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$1.41 CA$1.95

-7.09%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$28.6K CA$39.7K

0.32%

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

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$19.5K CA$27.0K

4.94%

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

$79.9 CA$111

$125 CA$173

-35.98%

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

$34.79 CA$48.25

$41.33 CA$57.3

-15.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.55 CA$59.0

$67.5 CA$93.6

-36.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.49

$73.4 CA$102

-60.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 CA$15.92

$11.37 CA$15.77

0.97%

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

$565 CA$784

$896 CA$1,243

-36.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$13.2K CA$18.3K

25.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.5

$53.0 CA$73.5

13.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 CA$58.1

$35.98 CA$49.89

16.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$90.2 CA$125

15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$109 CA$152

2.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,795

$1,465 CA$2,031

-11.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CA$1,406

$1,327 CA$1,840

-23.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,149

$2,100 CA$2,912

8.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,334

$1,864 CA$2,585

-9.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,150

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

$3,958 CA$5,490

-2.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,205

$3,004 CA$4,166

0.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.72

-5.93%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Last update for Saanich: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,294 in Montreal versus $1,465 in Saanich. 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 1% 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $73.0 in Saanich. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Montreal vs $413 in Saanich – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Saanich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saanich costs about 25% 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 $3,163 per month in Montreal and $3,961 in Saanich. 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.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Saanich, 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 $74.0 in Montreal and $73.0 in Saanich. 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 $2,108, than in Saanich at $2,641. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saanich it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,108 versus $2,641 in Saanich. 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, Saanich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.