Cost of Living Comparison Between North Vancouver and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between North Vancouver and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,836 per month in North Vancouver vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,451 per month in North Vancouver vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,066 per month in North Vancouver vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

North Vancouver costs about 38% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both North Vancouver and Montreal sit above the global median – North Vancouver by 106%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.23 CA$29.28

$17.85 CA$24.62

18.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 CA$91.0

$72.3 CA$99.7

-8.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 CA$12.78

$10.92 CA$15.06

-15.11%

Cappuccino

$4.14 CA$5.71

$3.97 CA$5.47

4.28%

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

$2.29 CA$3.15

$2.07 CA$2.86

10.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.40

$1.55 CA$2.13

12.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 CA$7.73

$6.41 CA$8.85

-12.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 CA$8.35

$7.29 CA$10.05

-16.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 CA$2.56

$2.39 CA$3.29

-22.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 CA$4.00

$3.21 CA$4.42

-9.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.39

$3.07 CA$4.23

-19.87%

Eggs

$3.33 CA$4.60

$3.68 CA$5.07

-9.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.40

$13.57 CA$18.72

3.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.30 CA$18.34

$11.63 CA$16.03

14.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 CA$21.98

$13.97 CA$19.27

14.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 CA$6.33

$3.68 CA$5.08

24.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.88

$1.56 CA$2.15

-12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.13

$3.41 CA$4.70

30.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 CA$6.31

$3.03 CA$4.17

50.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 CA$3.93

$1.98 CA$2.74

43.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.05

$1.82 CA$2.52

60.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 CA$3.91

$2.56 CA$3.53

10.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 CA$3.00

$1.39 CA$1.92

56.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 CA$19.52

$11.49 CA$15.85

23.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.20 CA$19.58

$10.92 CA$15.06

30.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$2.95

$2.26 CA$3.12

-5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.89

$3.01 CA$4.15

-6.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 CA$4.18

$2.69 CA$3.71

12.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CA$139

$75.3 CA$104

34.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 CA$3.84

$3.35 CA$4.62

-17.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 CA$2.11

$1.50 CA$2.07

2.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.85 CA$38.41

$33.70 CA$46.47

-17.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.29 CA$1.78

-2.33%

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

$28.1K CA$38.7K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

-0.71%

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

$19.9K CA$27.5K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

-0.23%

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

$131 CA$180

$80.4 CA$111

62.89%

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

$37.43 CA$51.6

$34.23 CA$47.21

9.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$74.0

$41.39 CA$57.1

29.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.06 CA$42.84

$29.24 CA$40.32

6.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.69 CA$34.05

$19.89 CA$27.43

24.13%

Cinema Ticket

$12.40 CA$17.10

$11.71 CA$16.15

5.89%

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

$1,065 CA$1,469

$564 CA$778

88.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.2K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

-34.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 CA$90.3

$59.5 CA$82.1

10.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 CA$53.2

$42.13 CA$58.1

-8.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 CA$115

$107 CA$148

-22.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$158

$111 CA$153

3.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 CA$2,568

$1,284 CA$1,770

45.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 CA$2,172

$990 CA$1,365

59.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,149 CA$4,343

$2,260 CA$3,116

39.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,169 CA$4,370

$1,667 CA$2,299

90.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,420 CA$11.6K

$5,287 CA$7,291

59.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,939 CA$9,569

$3,813 CA$5,258

82.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,150 CA$4,344

$3,019 CA$4,163

4.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.69

4.41

6.35%

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

Last update for North Vancouver: September 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,862 in North Vancouver 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 North Vancouver, 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 $66.0 in North Vancouver versus $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $396 in North Vancouver 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

North Vancouver vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Vancouver costs about 38% 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 $4,253 per month in North Vancouver 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 11% more in North Vancouver, 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 $66.0 in North Vancouver 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 North Vancouver at $2,836. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,056 versus $2,836 in North Vancouver. 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, North Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.