Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Smithers Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Smithers

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $2,309 in Smithers, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $3,378 in Smithers, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $4,447 in Smithers, rent included.

Montreal is about 11% cheaper than Smithers, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Montreal and Smithers sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, Smithers by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$17.02 CA$23.67

-6.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$70.2 CA$97.6

4.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$10.99 CA$15.28

1.46%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$3.77 CA$5.24

0.80%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.00 CA$2.78

9.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.63 CA$2.27

-10.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$5.47 CA$7.61

11.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$5.77 CA$8.03

17.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.19 CA$3.05

6.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.73 CA$3.80

24.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.66 CA$5.09

1.91%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$3.55 CA$4.93

-4.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$11.24 CA$15.63

44.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$11.85 CA$16.49

-2.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$14.56 CA$20.25

4.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$4.01 CA$5.58

-6.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.41 CA$1.95

20.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$3.77 CA$5.24

9.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$3.83 CA$5.32

13.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.42 CA$3.37

11.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.47 CA$3.43

6.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$2.58 CA$3.59

-12.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$13.83 CA$19.23

-3.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$12.82 CA$17.83

-15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$2.79 CA$3.88

7.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$3.03 CA$4.22

14.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.39 CA$3.32

14.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$63.9 CA$88.9

13.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.09 CA$4.30

17.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.49 CA$2.07

-2.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$25.61 CA$35.61

30.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.11 CA$1.55

9.01%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$25.3K CA$35.2K

-2.76%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

5.81%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$145 CA$201

-47.48%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$44.64 CA$62.1

-19.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$63.3 CA$88.0

-32.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$42.45 CA$59.0

1.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$11.22 CA$15.61

-1.16%

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

$620 CA$862

$745 CA$1,036

-16.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$12.0K CA$16.7K

-51.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$54.6 CA$75.9

14.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$39.91 CA$55.5

11.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$87.7 CA$122

14.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$107 CA$149

10.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$1,319 CA$1,834

-8.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$1,162 CA$1,615

-17.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$2,008 CA$2,792

1.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$1,827 CA$2,540

-12.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$3,952 CA$5,497

31.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$3,517 CA$4,892

11.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Smithers: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal versus $1,319 in Smithers. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal versus $70.0 in Smithers. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $366 – making Smithers 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 Smithers: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Smithers costs about 12% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $3,464 in Smithers. 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 7% cheaper in Smithers – 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 $70.0 in Smithers. 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 Smithers at $2,309. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Smithers it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,309 in Smithers. 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, Smithers makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.