Cost of Living Comparison Between New Westminster and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between New Westminster and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,580 per month in New Westminster vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,996 per month in New Westminster vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,411 per month in New Westminster vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

New Westminster costs about 25% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both New Westminster and Montreal sit above the global median – New Westminster by 88%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 CA$27.82

$17.85 CA$24.62

13.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.7 CA$78.1

$72.3 CA$99.7

-21.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 CA$14.32

$10.92 CA$15.06

-4.85%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CA$4.85

$3.97 CA$5.47

-11.59%

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

$2.01 CA$2.77

$2.07 CA$2.86

-2.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.22

$1.55 CA$2.13

3.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.35

$6.41 CA$8.85

-5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 CA$8.03

$7.29 CA$10.05

-20.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 CA$2.62

$2.39 CA$3.29

-20.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 CA$3.33

$3.21 CA$4.42

-24.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.91

$3.07 CA$4.23

15.96%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.33

$3.68 CA$5.07

-14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 CA$15.73

$13.57 CA$18.72

-15.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.60 CA$21.51

$11.63 CA$16.03

34.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.51 CA$36.55

$13.97 CA$19.27

89.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.14

$3.68 CA$5.08

1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 CA$1.73

$1.56 CA$2.15

-19.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.31

$3.41 CA$4.70

12.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.19

$3.03 CA$4.17

24.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.45

$1.98 CA$2.74

26.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.18

$1.82 CA$2.52

26.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 CA$3.20

$2.56 CA$3.53

-9.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.66

$1.39 CA$1.92

38.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.91 CA$21.94

$11.49 CA$15.85

38.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.05 CA$15.23

$10.92 CA$15.06

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.74

$2.26 CA$3.12

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 CA$4.04

$3.01 CA$4.15

-2.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 CA$3.46

$2.69 CA$3.71

-6.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.4 CA$129

$75.3 CA$104

23.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 CA$3.03

$3.35 CA$4.62

-34.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 CA$2.45

$1.50 CA$2.07

18.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.99 CA$31.71

$33.70 CA$46.47

-31.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.75

$1.29 CA$1.78

-1.55%

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

$24.5K CA$33.8K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

-13.41%

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

$19.5K CA$26.9K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

-2.24%

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

$145 CA$200

$80.4 CA$111

80.87%

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

$45.05 CA$62.1

$34.23 CA$47.21

31.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 CA$89.9

$41.39 CA$57.1

57.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.63 CA$46.38

$29.24 CA$40.32

15.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.83 CA$24.59

$19.89 CA$27.43

-10.36%

Cinema Ticket

$12.42 CA$17.12

$11.71 CA$16.15

6.06%

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

$797 CA$1,100

$564 CA$778

41.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,086 CA$11.2K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

-52.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$73.4

$59.5 CA$82.1

-10.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.71 CA$49.25

$42.13 CA$58.1

-15.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 CA$112

$107 CA$148

-24.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$143

$111 CA$153

-6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 CA$2,162

$1,284 CA$1,770

22.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 CA$1,841

$990 CA$1,365

34.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,879 CA$3,970

$2,260 CA$3,116

27.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,644 CA$3,646

$1,667 CA$2,299

58.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,797 CA$6,615

$5,287 CA$7,291

-9.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,153 CA$5,727

$3,813 CA$5,258

8.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,132 CA$4,320

$3,019 CA$4,163

3.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

4.41

7.03%

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

Last update for New Westminster: August 30, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,568 in New Westminster versus $1,284 in Montreal. 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 4% higher in New Westminster, 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 $57.0 in New Westminster versus $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $405 in New Westminster vs $356 in Montreal – 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

New Westminster vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Westminster 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 $3,870 per month in New Westminster and $3,084 in Montreal. 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 14% more in New Westminster, 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 $57.0 in New Westminster and $72.0 in Montreal. 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 $2,056, than in New Westminster at $2,580. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Westminster it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,056 versus $2,580 in New Westminster. 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, New Westminster makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.