Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,906 per month in Vancouver vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,209 per month in Vancouver vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,513 per month in Vancouver vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 39% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Vancouver and Montreal sit above the global median – Vancouver by 118%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.10

$16.52 CA$23.16

12.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$109

$74.0 CA$104

5.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.20

$10.94 CA$15.34

-0.91%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.51

$3.84 CA$5.39

2.34%

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

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.14 CA$2.99

4.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.45 CA$2.03

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.48

$6.13 CA$8.60

-1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.23

$6.73 CA$9.44

8.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.23

$2.35 CA$3.30

-2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$3.34 CA$4.68

-8.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.28

$3.74 CA$5.25

0.80%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.06

$3.39 CA$4.76

27.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.63

$16.30 CA$22.85

-22.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.27

$11.81 CA$16.56

16.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.41

$15.64 CA$21.93

2.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.98

$3.69 CA$5.18

15.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.70 CA$2.39

-10.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.50

$4.11 CA$5.76

-4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.13

$4.41 CA$6.18

15.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$2.79 CA$3.91

14.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.33

$2.64 CA$3.70

17.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.64

$2.29 CA$3.21

13.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.64

$1.78 CA$2.50

5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.66

$13.17 CA$18.47

17.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.88

$10.64 CA$14.92

39.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$2.99 CA$4.19

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.33

$3.44 CA$4.82

10.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$2.81 CA$3.94

-13.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$116

$72.8 CA$102

13.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$3.52 CA$4.93

6.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.45 CA$2.04

2.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.81

$34.29 CA$48.08

-21.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.22 CA$1.72

6.56%

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

$25.2K CA$35.3K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

-0.25%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$22.1K CA$31.0K

-7.11%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$76.5 CA$107

20.03%

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

$39.34 CA$55.2

$35.60 CA$49.91

10.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.0

$42.96 CA$60.2

41.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.5

$43.39 CA$60.8

2.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.27

$16.83 CA$23.60

-5.64%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.07

$11.09 CA$15.55

9.83%

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

$1,185 CA$1,661

$625 CA$876

89.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.0K

$5,896 CA$8,266

214.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

$63.1 CA$88.5

-0.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.4

$44.50 CA$62.4

-4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$133

$103 CA$144

-7.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$118 CA$166

-2.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,775

$1,207 CA$1,692

63.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,304

$965 CA$1,353

70.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,015

$2,031 CA$2,848

76.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,901

$1,577 CA$2,211

76.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$5,085 CA$7,129

72.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,936

$3,783 CA$5,304

87.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,739

$2,890 CA$4,051

16.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

5.01

11.98%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,979 in Vancouver 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 17% higher in Vancouver, 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 $78.0 in Vancouver versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 vs $395 – making Montreal 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

Vancouver vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 39% 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 $4,359 per month in Vancouver 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 5% more in Vancouver, 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 $78.0 in Vancouver 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 Vancouver at $2,906. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,906 in Vancouver. 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, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.