Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Tofino Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Tofino

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,108 per month in Montreal vs $2,391 in Tofino, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,226 per month in Montreal vs $4,148 in Tofino, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,344 per month in Montreal vs $5,906 in Tofino, rent included.

Montreal is about 12% cheaper than Tofino, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Montreal and Tofino sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Tofino by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.72

$18.20 CA$25.24

-2.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$71.2 CA$98.7

3.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.00

$10.68 CA$14.81

1.22%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.44

$4.34 CA$6.01

-9.68%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$2.33 CA$3.23

-12.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.84 CA$2.55

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 CA$9.13

$5.90 CA$8.19

11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CA$9.90

$5.72 CA$7.94

24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.22 CA$3.08

6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$3.19 CA$4.42

1.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$4.22 CA$5.86

-30.09%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.12

$4.21 CA$5.84

-12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.93

$10.00 CA$13.87

36.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.56

$7.31 CA$10.13

63.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.52

$10.96 CA$15.20

28.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$3.95 CA$5.48

-8.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.47 CA$2.04

5.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$4.00 CA$5.55

-17.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$4.14 CA$5.74

-25.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$3.48 CA$4.83

-42.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$2.90 CA$4.03

-34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$3.06 CA$4.24

-13.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$2.52 CA$3.50

-44.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CA$16.36

$14.96 CA$20.74

-21.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 CA$14.98

$15.58 CA$21.61

-30.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$3.95 CA$5.47

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$3.64 CA$5.05

-20.33%

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

$64.6 CA$89.5

19.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$2.80 CA$3.89

18.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.57 CA$2.18

-7.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.98 CA$45.74

$35.49 CA$49.21

-7.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$1.32 CA$1.83

-0.76%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

1.00%

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

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$18.8K CA$26.1K

8.55%

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

$79.9 CA$111

$104 CA$144

-22.84%

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

$34.79 CA$48.25

$44.83 CA$62.2

-22.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.55 CA$59.0

$62.3 CA$86.4

-31.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.49

$42.20 CA$58.5

-30.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

$18.86 CA$26.15

7.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 CA$15.92

$10.76 CA$14.92

6.69%

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

$565 CA$784

$892 CA$1,237

-36.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$23.4K CA$32.4K

-29.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.5

$54.4 CA$75.4

10.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 CA$58.1

$44.55 CA$61.8

-6.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$91.0 CA$126

14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$107 CA$148

5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,795

$1,320 CA$1,831

-1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CA$1,406

$1,258 CA$1,745

-19.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,149

$3,536 CA$4,904

-35.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,334

$3,313 CA$4,595

-49.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,150

$4,231 CA$5,868

21.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

$3,655 CA$5,068

5.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,205

$1,304 CA$1,809

132.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.32

2.78%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Last update for Tofino: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,294 in Montreal versus $1,320 in Tofino. 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 132% 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 $71.0 in Tofino. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Montreal vs $369 in Tofino – 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 Tofino: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tofino costs about 13% 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 $3,163 per month in Montreal and $3,586 in Tofino. 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 3% more in Tofino, 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 $71.0 in Tofino. 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 Tofino at $2,391. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tofino it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,108 versus $2,391 in Tofino. 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, Tofino makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.