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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,481 per month in Quesnel vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,496 per month in Quesnel vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,512 per month in Quesnel vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Quesnel costs about 19% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Quesnel and Montreal sit above the global median – Quesnel by 86%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.27 CA$25.61

$16.52 CA$23.16

10.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.12 CA$66.1

$74.0 CA$104

-36.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.77

$10.94 CA$15.34

2.83%

Cappuccino

$4.21 CA$5.90

$3.84 CA$5.39

9.64%

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

$2.13 CA$2.99

$2.14 CA$2.99

-0.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$1.45 CA$2.03

12.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.53 CA$6.35

$6.13 CA$8.60

-26.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$6.73 CA$9.44

-12.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 CA$4.18

$2.35 CA$3.30

26.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$3.34 CA$4.68

-17.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.05 CA$7.08

$3.74 CA$5.25

35.03%

Eggs

$4.03 CA$5.65

$3.39 CA$4.76

18.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 CA$9.65

$16.30 CA$22.85

-57.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.09 CA$12.74

$11.81 CA$16.56

-23.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 CA$15.70

$15.64 CA$21.93

-28.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 CA$6.63

$3.69 CA$5.18

28.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.70 CA$2.39

-16.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.63 CA$6.49

$4.11 CA$5.76

12.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.59

$4.41 CA$6.18

-9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.16

$2.79 CA$3.91

57.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.77

$2.64 CA$3.70

28.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.32 CA$4.66

$2.29 CA$3.21

44.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.35

$1.78 CA$2.50

-5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.38 CA$17.36

$13.17 CA$18.47

-6.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 CA$14.59

$10.64 CA$14.92

-2.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.91

$2.99 CA$4.19

-6.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CA$6.59

$3.44 CA$4.82

36.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 CA$2.52

$2.81 CA$3.94

-35.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 CA$88.9

$72.8 CA$102

-12.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$3.52 CA$4.93

-23.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 CA$2.93

$1.45 CA$2.04

44.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.73 CA$61.3

$34.29 CA$48.08

27.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$1.22 CA$1.72

-1.64%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

0.63%

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

$18.2K CA$25.5K

$22.1K CA$31.0K

-17.81%

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

$220 CA$308

$76.5 CA$107

187.33%

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

$44.12 CA$61.9

$35.60 CA$49.91

23.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 CA$94.8

$42.96 CA$60.2

57.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.4 CA$104

$43.39 CA$60.8

71.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.60

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 CA$13.71

$11.09 CA$15.55

-11.81%

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

$558 CA$782

$625 CA$876

-10.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.6K

$5,896 CA$8,266

101.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.91 CA$53.2

$63.1 CA$88.5

-39.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 CA$81.7

$44.50 CA$62.4

30.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 CA$113

$103 CA$144

-21.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$118 CA$166

-6.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$953 CA$1,336

$1,207 CA$1,692

-21.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 CA$1,677

$965 CA$1,353

23.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,786

$2,031 CA$2,848

-2.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,798 CA$2,521

$1,577 CA$2,211

14.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,466 CA$6,261

$5,085 CA$7,129

-12.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,200 CA$4,486

$3,783 CA$5,304

-15.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,446 CA$3,429

$2,890 CA$4,051

-15.35%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $953 in Quesnel 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 18% 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 $47.00 in Quesnel versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $395 – 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 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 $3,722 per month in Quesnel 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 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 $47.00 in Quesnel 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 Quesnel at $2,481. 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 $2,085 versus $2,481 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.