Cost of Living Comparison Between Smithers and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Smithers and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,309 per month in Smithers vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,378 per month in Smithers vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,447 per month in Smithers vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Smithers costs about 12% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Smithers and Montreal sit above the global median – Smithers by 72%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.02 CA$23.67

$15.92 CA$22.14

6.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 CA$97.6

$73.1 CA$102

-3.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 CA$15.28

$11.15 CA$15.50

-1.43%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.24

$3.80 CA$5.29

-0.79%

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

$2.00 CA$2.78

$2.18 CA$3.03

-8.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$1.46 CA$2.03

11.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 CA$7.61

$6.12 CA$8.51

-10.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 CA$8.03

$6.78 CA$9.42

-14.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.05

$2.33 CA$3.24

-6.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.80

$3.39 CA$4.72

-19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.09

$3.73 CA$5.19

-1.88%

Eggs

$3.55 CA$4.93

$3.38 CA$4.70

5.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 CA$15.63

$16.25 CA$22.60

-30.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.85 CA$16.49

$11.54 CA$16.05

2.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.25

$15.24 CA$21.19

-4.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.58

$3.74 CA$5.20

7.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.70 CA$2.37

-17.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$4.11 CA$5.71

-8.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$4.35 CA$6.05

-11.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.37

$2.71 CA$3.76

-10.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$2.62 CA$3.64

-5.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CA$3.59

$2.25 CA$3.13

14.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.83 CA$19.23

$13.31 CA$18.51

3.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 CA$17.83

$10.78 CA$15.00

18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.88

$3.01 CA$4.19

-7.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.22

$3.46 CA$4.82

-12.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.32

$2.74 CA$3.81

-12.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 CA$88.9

$72.7 CA$101

-12.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 CA$4.30

$3.63 CA$5.05

-14.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.46 CA$2.03

2.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.61 CA$35.61

$33.44 CA$46.50

-23.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.21 CA$1.69

-8.26%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

2.84%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-5.49%

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

$145 CA$201

$76.0 CA$106

90.40%

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

$44.64 CA$62.1

$35.72 CA$49.68

24.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CA$88.0

$42.86 CA$59.6

47.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.45 CA$59.0

$42.92 CA$59.7

-1.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 CA$15.61

$11.09 CA$15.42

1.17%

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

$745 CA$1,036

$620 CA$862

20.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.7K

$5,834 CA$8,114

105.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 CA$75.9

$62.7 CA$87.1

-12.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 CA$55.5

$44.41 CA$61.8

-10.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 CA$122

$101 CA$140

-12.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$149

$119 CA$166

-9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 CA$1,834

$1,211 CA$1,684

8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 CA$1,615

$960 CA$1,334

21.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 CA$2,792

$2,035 CA$2,831

-1.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CA$2,540

$1,589 CA$2,210

14.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,952 CA$5,497

$5,181 CA$7,205

-23.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,517 CA$4,892

$3,934 CA$5,470

-10.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

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 Smithers: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,319 in Smithers 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Smithers versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $392 – making Smithers 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

Smithers vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Smithers costs about 12% 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 $3,464 per month in Smithers 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 7% cheaper in Smithers – 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 $70.0 in Smithers 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 Smithers at $2,309. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Smithers it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,309 in Smithers. 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, Smithers makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.