Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Alberni and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Alberni: $1,693 a month against $2,059 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

82

Cost of Living Index in Port Alberni
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Port Alberni Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Port Alberni

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,693

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port Alberni and in Montreal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Port Alberni and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,693 per month in Port Alberni vs $2,059 in Montreal, rent included.

Port Alberni $1,693
Montreal $2,059

A couple spends around $2,834 per month in Port Alberni vs $3,123 in Montreal, rent included.

Port Alberni $2,834
Montreal $3,123

A family of three spends $3,976 per month in Port Alberni vs $4,187 in Montreal, rent included.

Port Alberni $3,976
Montreal $4,187

Port Alberni is about 18% cheaper than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Port Alberni and Montreal sit above the global median – Port Alberni by 25%, Montreal by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.06 CA$25.54

$18.84 CA$26.63

-4.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 CA$89.4

$73.2 CA$104

-13.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 CA$14.86

$10.54 CA$14.90

-0.28%

Cappuccino

$4.00 CA$5.65

$3.97 CA$5.61

0.76%

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

$2.12 CA$2.99

$1.94 CA$2.74

9.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.04

$1.57 CA$2.22

-8.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 CA$4.92

$6.42 CA$9.08

-45.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 CA$7.69

$7.20 CA$10.19

-24.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.18

$2.32 CA$3.28

-3.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 CA$3.26

$3.19 CA$4.51

-27.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.10

$3.19 CA$4.50

-9.09%

Eggs

$3.92 CA$5.54

$3.68 CA$5.20

6.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 CA$12.76

$13.24 CA$18.72

-31.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.06

$11.69 CA$16.53

-63.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.98 CA$28.24

$13.98 CA$19.76

42.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 CA$3.89

$3.14 CA$4.44

-12.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 CA$1.53

$1.45 CA$2.05

-25.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.86

$3.38 CA$4.78

1.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.12

$3.11 CA$4.40

16.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 CA$3.04

$1.93 CA$2.72

11.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 CA$2.64

$1.83 CA$2.58

2.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 CA$3.05

$2.36 CA$3.34

-8.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 CA$1.05

$1.50 CA$2.12

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 CA$14.87

$11.12 CA$15.73

-5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.58 CA$14.96

$10.60 CA$14.98

-0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 CA$3.62

$2.22 CA$3.14

15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 CA$4.08

$2.84 CA$4.01

1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$2.62 CA$3.71

-44.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.08 CA$48.17

$79.1 CA$112

-56.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.84

$3.23 CA$4.56

-16.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 CA$2.26

$1.48 CA$2.10

8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.40 CA$44.39

$32.22 CA$45.55

-2.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.71

$1.36 CA$1.92

-11.03%

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

$27.3K CA$38.5K

$27.6K CA$39.1K

-1.40%

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

$21.0K CA$29.6K

$21.2K CA$30.0K

-1.09%

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

$81.5 CA$115

$77.0 CA$109

5.72%

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

$36.54 CA$51.7

$34.14 CA$48.26

7.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 CA$73.4

$42.19 CA$59.7

23.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.88 CA$59.2

$30.81 CA$43.56

35.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 CA$27.79

Cinema Ticket

$12.61 CA$17.83

$11.47 CA$16.22

9.94%

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

$1,088 CA$1,538

$506 CA$716

114.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$16.2K CA$23.0K

24.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 CA$83.2

$57.3 CA$81.0

2.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.95 CA$46.58

$38.10 CA$53.9

-13.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 CA$135

$91.9 CA$130

3.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 CA$133

$110 CA$155

-13.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 CA$1,114

$1,237 CA$1,748

-36.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 CA$1,005

$977 CA$1,381

-27.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 CA$2,399

$2,180 CA$3,082

-22.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 CA$2,390

$1,608 CA$2,273

5.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,113 CA$7,228

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,744 CA$5,293

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,103 CA$4,387

$2,957 CA$4,180

4.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

4.48

-4.46%

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

Last update for Port Alberni: October 19, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Port Alberni

$711 42%

Montreal

$977 47.4% 37.3% $266

Groceries & Markets

Port Alberni

$301 17.8%

Montreal

$351 17.1% 16.6% $50

Eating Out

Port Alberni

$267 15.7%

Montreal

$290 14.1% 9% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Alberni

$170 10%

Montreal

$153 7.5% 9.7% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Port Alberni

$127 7.5%

Montreal

$134 6.5% 5.5% $6.9

Sport & Entertainment

Port Alberni

$67 4%

Montreal

$54 2.6% 19.9% $13

Getting Around

Port Alberni

$51 3%

Montreal

$100 4.9% 98.2% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Port Alberni versus $1,237 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 5% higher in Port Alberni, 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 $63.0 in Port Alberni versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $351 – making Port Alberni the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Port Alberni

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

18:50 6:50 PM

21:50 9:50 PM

3 h ahead of Port Alberni

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,743

1,762,949

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Port Alberni Montreal 3,810 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Port Alberni
Montreal

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

Port Alberni vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 22% more than Port Alberni, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,540 per month in Port Alberni and $3,089 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Alberni, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Montreal, 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 $63.0 in Port Alberni and $73.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Port Alberni, where all-in costs run around $1,693, than in Montreal at $2,059. In Port Alberni it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Port Alberni costs $1,693 versus $2,059 in Montreal. 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 Port Alberni. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.