Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Mont-Laurier Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Mont-Laurier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,783 in Vancouver versus $2,231 in Mont-Laurier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,030 in Vancouver versus $3,224 in Mont-Laurier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,278 in Vancouver versus $4,217 in Mont-Laurier.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 25% more expensive than in Mont-Laurier, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 102% above, Mont-Laurier 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.95

$18.25 CA$25.31

-1.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

-0.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 CA$14.92

$10.94 CA$15.18

-1.65%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.79

$4.01 CA$5.56

3.99%

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

$2.20 CA$3.05

$2.06 CA$2.86

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.55 CA$2.15

10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.19

$6.55 CA$9.08

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.24

$7.31 CA$10.13

-8.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.36 CA$3.27

-7.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$2.76 CA$3.83

-3.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$2.52 CA$3.50

75.79%

Eggs

$4.20 CA$5.83

$3.33 CA$4.62

26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.47

$5.86 CA$8.13

102.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.95

$11.60 CA$16.09

17.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 CA$28.18

$14.37 CA$19.92

41.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$3.69 CA$5.11

14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$1.56 CA$2.17

-11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.61

$3.43 CA$4.76

18.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$2.94 CA$4.08

37.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$1.46 CA$2.02

96.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.15

$1.07 CA$1.48

179.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$1.93 CA$2.68

36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.38 CA$1.92

19.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.07

$10.50 CA$14.56

51.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$6.21 CA$8.62

135.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.38 CA$3.31

16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$3.02 CA$4.18

1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$2.40 CA$3.33

7.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$115

$63.4 CA$88.0

31.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$3.20 CA$4.43

-15.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$1.51 CA$2.10

7.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.33

$33.49 CA$46.44

-2.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.12 CA$1.55

28.57%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$28.1K CA$39.0K

0.94%

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

$19.5K CA$27.1K

$19.9K CA$27.6K

-1.77%

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

$79.2 CA$110

$80.8 CA$112

-2.02%

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

$36.21 CA$50.2

$35.43 CA$49.14

2.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 CA$71.2

$41.20 CA$57.1

24.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.4

$42.44 CA$58.9

2.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$18.41 CA$25.53

-28.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.44

$11.65 CA$16.16

1.72%

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

$1,131 CA$1,568

$575 CA$798

96.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

18.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.2

$58.3 CA$80.8

2.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 CA$48.32

$42.04 CA$58.3

-17.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$125

$106 CA$147

-14.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 CA$130

$115 CA$159

-18.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,505

$1,279 CA$1,774

41.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,193

$1,165 CA$1,615

35.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 CA$4,413

$2,032 CA$2,819

56.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CA$3,418

$1,720 CA$2,385

43.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,841 CA$12.3K

$4,387 CA$6,085

101.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,963 CA$9,657

$3,623 CA$5,025

92.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,184

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.41

-4.54%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mont-Laurier: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,806 in Vancouver and $1,279 in Mont-Laurier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $73.0 in Mont-Laurier. Groceries flip the comparison at $408 vs $311, with Mont-Laurier cheaper for home cooking.

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

Vancouver vs Mont-Laurier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mont-Laurier is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,174 in Vancouver and $3,346 in Mont-Laurier to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,806 in Vancouver versus $1,279 in Mont-Laurier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mont-Laurier – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $73.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,231 in Mont-Laurier versus $2,783 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mont-Laurier but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Mont-Laurier the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Vancouver and Mont-Laurier are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mont-Laurier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.