Cost of Living Comparison Between Quesnel and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Quesnel and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,456 per month in Quesnel vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in Quesnel vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,475 per month in Quesnel vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Quesnel costs about 19% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Quesnel and Montreal sit above the global median – Quesnel by 83%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 CA$26.09

$15.92 CA$22.12

17.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.30 CA$67.1

$73.1 CA$102

-33.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.29 CA$15.69

$11.15 CA$15.49

1.26%

Cappuccino

$4.27 CA$5.93

$3.80 CA$5.28

12.37%

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

$2.13 CA$2.96

$2.18 CA$3.03

-2.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$1.46 CA$2.03

15.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 CA$6.16

$6.12 CA$8.51

-27.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 CA$8.41

$6.78 CA$9.41

-10.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.33 CA$3.23

22.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.92

$3.39 CA$4.71

-16.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.20 CA$7.22

$3.73 CA$5.18

39.41%

Eggs

$4.13 CA$5.74

$3.38 CA$4.70

22.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 CA$9.60

$16.25 CA$22.58

-57.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 CA$11.98

$11.54 CA$16.04

-25.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 CA$15.15

$15.24 CA$21.17

-28.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 CA$6.31

$3.74 CA$5.20

21.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$1.70 CA$2.37

-19.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 CA$6.37

$4.11 CA$5.70

11.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.69

$4.35 CA$6.05

-5.75%

Potato (1kg)

$4.34 CA$6.02

$2.71 CA$3.76

60.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.00

$2.62 CA$3.63

37.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.38 CA$4.69

$2.25 CA$3.13

50.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.35

$1.73 CA$2.40

-2.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.71 CA$17.66

$13.31 CA$18.49

-4.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 CA$15.04

$10.78 CA$14.98

0.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.05

$3.01 CA$4.19

-3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CA$6.77

$3.46 CA$4.81

40.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 CA$2.52

$2.74 CA$3.81

-33.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 CA$88.5

$72.7 CA$101

-12.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$3.63 CA$5.05

-27.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 CA$2.87

$1.46 CA$2.03

41.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.73 CA$60.8

$33.44 CA$46.46

30.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.21 CA$1.68

2.48%

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

$25.2K CA$35.0K

$24.6K CA$34.2K

2.09%

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

$18.6K CA$25.9K

$21.7K CA$30.1K

-14.00%

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

$221 CA$307

$76.0 CA$106

190.65%

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

$43.95 CA$61.1

$35.72 CA$49.63

23.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 CA$94.1

$42.86 CA$59.6

58.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.6 CA$104

$42.92 CA$59.6

73.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.94

Cinema Ticket

$10.21 CA$14.18

$11.09 CA$15.40

-7.94%

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

$554 CA$770

$620 CA$861

-10.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$5,834 CA$8,106

99.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.50 CA$53.5

$62.7 CA$87.1

-38.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 CA$81.6

$44.41 CA$61.7

32.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 CA$111

$101 CA$140

-20.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$154

$119 CA$165

-6.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 CA$1,325

$1,211 CA$1,683

-21.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,647

$960 CA$1,333

23.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,051 CA$2,850

$2,035 CA$2,828

0.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 CA$2,532

$1,589 CA$2,208

14.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,391 CA$6,100

$5,181 CA$7,198

-15.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,722 CA$5,172

$3,934 CA$5,465

-5.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,426 CA$3,371

$2,960 CA$4,113

-18.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.01

28.94%

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

Last update for Quesnel: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $954 in Quesnel versus $1,211 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 22% higher in Montreal, 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 $48.00 in Quesnel versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $392 – making Quesnel 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

Quesnel vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quesnel costs about 19% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,684 per month in Quesnel and $3,094 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 9% cheaper in Quesnel – 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 $48.00 in Quesnel and $73.0 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 $2,063, than in Quesnel at $2,456. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quesnel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,456 in Quesnel. 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, Quesnel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.