Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Victoria, Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,064 a month against $2,554 in Victoria, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreal, Canada
Victoria, Canada
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,064
/mo nomad
Victoria
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,554
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Victoria

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 Victoria actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,064 per month in Montreal vs $2,554 in Victoria, rent included.

  • Montreal $2,064
  • Victoria $2,554

A couple spends around $3,156 per month in Montreal vs $3,830 in Victoria, rent included.

  • Montreal $3,156
  • Victoria $3,830

A family of three spends $4,247 per month in Montreal vs $5,107 in Victoria, rent included.

  • Montreal $4,247
  • Victoria $5,107

Montreal is about 19% cheaper than Victoria, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Victoria sit above the global median – Montreal by 52%, Victoria by 88%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreal
Victoria
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.98 CA$26.53
$19.57 CA$27.34
-3.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.0 CA$102
$70.3 CA$98.2
3.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.88 CA$15.20
$10.92 CA$15.26
-0.37%
Cappuccino
$3.81 CA$5.33
$4.27 CA$5.97
-10.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 CA$2.71
$2.34 CA$3.27
-17.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.21
$1.88 CA$2.63
-15.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.37 CA$8.90
$5.57 CA$7.78
14.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.26 CA$10.15
$6.63 CA$9.27
9.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreal
Victoria
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 CA$3.11
$2.79 CA$3.91
-20.07%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 CA$4.44
$3.08 CA$4.30
2.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.31 CA$4.62
$4.06 CA$5.67
-18.47%
Eggs
$3.63 CA$5.07
$4.25 CA$5.93
-14.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.16 CA$18.39
$27.60 CA$38.56
-52.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.56 CA$16.15
$12.88 CA$17.99
-10.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.71 CA$19.16
$14.43 CA$20.17
-4.99%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 CA$4.60
$4.09 CA$5.72
-19.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 CA$2.04
$1.47 CA$2.05
-0.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.37 CA$4.71
$3.90 CA$5.45
-13.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.15 CA$4.40
$4.16 CA$5.81
-24.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 CA$2.64
$3.54 CA$4.95
-46.61%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.51
$2.88 CA$4.02
-37.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.47 CA$3.45
$3.24 CA$4.53
-23.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.21
$2.51 CA$3.50
-37.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.28 CA$15.77
$15.04 CA$21.01
-25.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.49 CA$14.66
$17.77 CA$24.83
-40.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 CA$3.26
$3.85 CA$5.38
-39.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 CA$4.07
$3.62 CA$5.06
-19.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreal
Victoria
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 CA$3.65
$2.10 CA$2.94
24.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.1 CA$111
$60.0 CA$83.9
31.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 CA$4.56
$2.78 CA$3.89
17.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 CA$2.01
$1.59 CA$2.22
-9.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.43 CA$46.71
$34.64 CA$48.41
-3.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 CA$1.86
$1.39 CA$1.94
-4.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K CA$40.0K
$28.6K CA$40.0K
0.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.5K
$21.2K CA$29.7K
-0.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
Victoria
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.1 CA$112
$104 CA$145
-23.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.30 CA$47.93
$44.11 CA$61.6
-22.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.85 CA$59.9
$62.1 CA$86.8
-31.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
Victoria
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.14 CA$43.52
$41.39 CA$57.8
-24.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.41 CA$27.12
$17.05 CA$23.83
13.84%
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 CA$15.69
$10.58 CA$14.78
6.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreal
Victoria
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$525 CA$734
$890 CA$1,243
-40.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K CA$22.8K
$23.1K CA$32.3K
-29.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
Victoria
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0 CA$81.0
$55.4 CA$77.4
4.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.11 CA$53.3
$43.45 CA$60.7
-12.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 CA$131
$91.9 CA$128
1.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 CA$154
$107 CA$149
3.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreal
Victoria
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,285 CA$1,796
$1,557 CA$2,176
-17.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$977 CA$1,365
$1,300 CA$1,817
-24.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,271 CA$3,173
$2,730 CA$3,814
-16.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,665 CA$2,326
$2,233 CA$3,121
-25.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,139 CA$7,181
$5,638 CA$7,877
-8.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,834 CA$5,358
$4,578 CA$6,397
-16.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreal
Victoria
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,002 CA$4,195
$3,229 CA$4,512
-7.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.31
3.94%

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

Last update for Montreal: October 25, 2026

Last update for Victoria: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreal
$977
Victoria
$1.3K 33.1% $324
Groceries & Markets
Montreal
$351
Victoria
$470 33.7% $118
Eating Out
Montreal
$291
Victoria
$299 2.7% $7.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreal
$157
Victoria
$210 33.8% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Montreal
$135
Victoria
$134 0.7% $1
Getting Around
Montreal
$100
Victoria
$79 20.9% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Montreal
$54
Victoria
$63 16.7% $8.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,285 in Montreal versus $1,557 in Victoria. 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 8% higher in Victoria, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Montreal versus $70 in Victoria. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Montreal vs $470 in Victoria – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Montreal
🇨🇦 Victoria
🕒 Local time
12:52 12:52 PM
10:52 10:52 AM
2 h behind Montreal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,762,949
85,792
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreal Victoria 3,730 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreal
  • Victoria

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 Victoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montreal or Victoria?
Victoria costs about 24% more than Montreal, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Montreal and in Victoria?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,096 per month in Montreal and $3,832 in Victoria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montreal or Victoria?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,285 there versus $1,557 in Victoria.
Are groceries more expensive in Montreal or in Victoria?
Groceries cost about 34% more in Victoria, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Montreal and in Victoria?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Montreal and $70 in Victoria. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Montreal or in Victoria?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,064 in Montreal and $2,554 in Victoria. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Montreal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Montreal or to Victoria?
If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Victoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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