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 $2,846 per month in North Vancouver vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,438 per month in North Vancouver vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,029 per month in North Vancouver vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

North Vancouver costs about 37% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both North Vancouver and Montreal sit above the global median – North Vancouver by 113%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.68 CA$26.28

$16.52 CA$23.24

13.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 CA$99.4

$74.0 CA$104

-4.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 CA$14.55

$10.94 CA$15.40

-5.48%

Cappuccino

$4.12 CA$5.80

$3.84 CA$5.41

7.29%

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

$2.07 CA$2.91

$2.14 CA$3.01

-3.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.45 CA$2.04

-9.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$7.04

$6.13 CA$8.63

-18.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 CA$9.87

$6.73 CA$9.47

4.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.97

$2.35 CA$3.31

-10.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.74

$3.34 CA$4.69

-20.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$3.74 CA$5.27

-29.41%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.20

$3.39 CA$4.77

8.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 CA$14.70

$16.30 CA$22.93

-35.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 CA$16.76

$11.81 CA$16.62

0.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 CA$20.37

$15.64 CA$22.01

-7.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 CA$4.68

$3.69 CA$5.20

-10.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.70 CA$2.39

-14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.20

$4.11 CA$5.79

-27.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.39

$4.41 CA$6.20

-13.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$2.79 CA$3.93

-11.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$2.64 CA$3.72

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.51

$2.29 CA$3.22

9.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$1.78 CA$2.51

-32.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.47 CA$20.36

$13.17 CA$18.53

9.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 CA$17.81

$10.64 CA$14.97

18.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 CA$5.41

$2.99 CA$4.20

28.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.32

$3.44 CA$4.83

-31.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$2.81 CA$3.95

-10.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 CA$125

$72.8 CA$102

21.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 CA$3.74

$3.52 CA$4.95

-24.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 CA$2.20

$1.45 CA$2.05

7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.68 CA$40.35

$34.29 CA$48.26

-16.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$1.22 CA$1.72

12.30%

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

$24.7K CA$34.8K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-2.04%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-8.10%

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

$133 CA$187

$76.5 CA$108

73.73%

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

$41.67 CA$58.6

$35.60 CA$50.1

17.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 CA$93.6

$42.96 CA$60.5

54.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.76 CA$46.09

$43.39 CA$61.1

-24.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.91 CA$42.09

$16.83 CA$23.68

77.72%

Cinema Ticket

$12.71 CA$17.88

$11.09 CA$15.60

14.61%

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

$1,227 CA$1,727

$625 CA$879

96.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K CA$15.6K

$5,896 CA$8,296

87.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 CA$79.0

$63.1 CA$88.8

-11.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.69 CA$64.3

$44.50 CA$62.6

2.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 CA$135

$103 CA$145

-6.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$159

$118 CA$166

-4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,870 CA$2,632

$1,207 CA$1,699

54.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,657 CA$2,331

$965 CA$1,358

71.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,549 CA$4,993

$2,031 CA$2,858

74.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,468 CA$4,880

$1,577 CA$2,219

119.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,266 CA$11.6K

$5,085 CA$7,155

62.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,664 CA$9,377

$3,783 CA$5,324

76.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,097 CA$4,358

$2,890 CA$4,066

7.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.01

30.54%

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

Last update for North Vancouver: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,870 in North Vancouver versus $1,207 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 7% 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 $71.0 in North Vancouver versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $395 – making North Vancouver 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

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

North Vancouver costs about 37% 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 $4,269 per month in North Vancouver and $3,127 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in North Vancouver – 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 $71.0 in North Vancouver and $74.0 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 $2,085, than in North Vancouver at $2,846. 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 $2,085 versus $2,846 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.