Cost of Living Comparison Between Saanich and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Saanich and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,643 per month in Saanich vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,643 per month in Saanich vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,644 per month in Saanich vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Saanich costs about 27% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Saanich and Montreal sit above the global median – Saanich by 98%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.59 CA$20.53

$16.52 CA$23.24

-11.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.3 CA$93.3

$74.0 CA$104

-10.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.73

$10.94 CA$15.40

2.19%

Cappuccino

$4.03 CA$5.68

$3.84 CA$5.41

4.95%

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

$2.27 CA$3.19

$2.14 CA$3.01

6.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.60

$1.45 CA$2.04

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 CA$7.27

$6.13 CA$8.63

-15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.35

$6.73 CA$9.47

-1.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$2.35 CA$3.31

-28.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$3.34 CA$4.69

-19.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.11 CA$7.19

$3.74 CA$5.27

36.63%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$5.06

$3.39 CA$4.77

5.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 CA$15.94

$16.30 CA$22.93

-30.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 CA$18.23

$11.81 CA$16.62

9.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 CA$18.50

$15.64 CA$22.01

-15.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.14

$3.69 CA$5.20

18.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.25

$1.70 CA$2.39

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 CA$6.39

$4.11 CA$5.79

10.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 CA$7.00

$4.41 CA$6.20

12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.37

$2.79 CA$3.93

36.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.58

$2.64 CA$3.72

23.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.75

$2.29 CA$3.22

16.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$1.78 CA$2.51

37.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.74 CA$16.51

$13.17 CA$18.53

-10.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 CA$21.70

$10.64 CA$14.97

44.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.53

$2.99 CA$4.20

31.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 CA$6.44

$3.44 CA$4.83

33.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 CA$2.52

$2.81 CA$3.95

-36.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.3 CA$113

$72.8 CA$102

10.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 CA$3.77

$3.52 CA$4.95

-23.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.86

$1.45 CA$2.05

-8.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.64 CA$45.92

$34.29 CA$48.26

-4.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.22 CA$1.72

9.84%

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

$25.1K CA$35.4K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-0.45%

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

$20.7K CA$29.2K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-6.31%

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

$134 CA$188

$76.5 CA$108

74.68%

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

$21.19 CA$29.81

$35.60 CA$50.1

-40.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 CA$103

$42.96 CA$60.5

70.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 CA$104

$43.39 CA$61.1

70.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

Cinema Ticket

$11.66 CA$16.40

$11.09 CA$15.60

5.14%

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

$628 CA$884

$625 CA$879

0.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K CA$19.7K

$5,896 CA$8,296

137.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$80.1

$63.1 CA$88.8

-9.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 CA$52.5

$44.50 CA$62.6

-16.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 CA$135

$103 CA$145

-6.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CA$158

$118 CA$166

-5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 CA$2,146

$1,207 CA$1,699

26.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 CA$1,896

$965 CA$1,358

39.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 CA$3,022

$2,031 CA$2,858

5.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,951 CA$2,745

$1,577 CA$2,219

23.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,956 CA$4,160

$2,890 CA$4,066

2.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

5.01

23.35%

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

Last update for Saanich: July 11, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,525 in Saanich 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 2% higher in Saanich, 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 Saanich versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $409 in Saanich vs $395 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

Saanich vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saanich costs about 27% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,964 per month in Saanich 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.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Saanich, 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 Saanich 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 Saanich at $2,643. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saanich it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,643 in Saanich. 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, Saanich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.