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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,831 per month in Vancouver vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,231 per month in Vancouver vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,630 per month in Vancouver vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 37% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Montreal sit above the global median – Vancouver by 111%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.37

$15.92 CA$22.12

14.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$73.1 CA$102

6.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.08

$11.15 CA$15.49

-2.69%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.53

$3.80 CA$5.28

4.74%

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

$2.12 CA$2.94

$2.18 CA$3.03

-2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.46 CA$2.03

21.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$6.12 CA$8.51

-5.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.50

$6.78 CA$9.41

11.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$2.33 CA$3.23

-0.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$3.39 CA$4.71

-8.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.73 CA$5.18

4.29%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.29

$3.38 CA$4.70

34.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.95

$16.25 CA$22.58

-20.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.65

$11.54 CA$16.04

22.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.87

$15.24 CA$21.17

3.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.91

$3.74 CA$5.20

13.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.70 CA$2.37

-13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$4.11 CA$5.70

-2.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$4.35 CA$6.05

16.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$2.71 CA$3.76

11.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.62 CA$3.63

12.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.61

$2.25 CA$3.13

15.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$1.73 CA$2.40

8.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.12

$13.31 CA$18.49

14.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.86

$10.78 CA$14.98

32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$3.01 CA$4.19

1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.46 CA$4.81

8.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.74 CA$3.81

-10.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$72.7 CA$101

16.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.19

$3.63 CA$5.05

3.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.46 CA$2.03

2.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.11

$33.44 CA$46.46

-17.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.21 CA$1.68

10.74%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$24.6K CA$34.2K

1.88%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$21.7K CA$30.1K

-4.40%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$76.0 CA$106

20.72%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$35.72 CA$49.63

10.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$42.86 CA$59.6

42.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$42.92 CA$59.6

4.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.79

$17.23 CA$23.94

-9.00%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.18

$11.09 CA$15.40

11.54%

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

$1,180 CA$1,640

$620 CA$861

90.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$5,834 CA$8,106

221.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.9

$44.41 CA$61.7

-2.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$101 CA$140

-5.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$119 CA$165

-0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,771

$1,211 CA$1,683

64.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,264

$960 CA$1,333

69.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,986

$2,035 CA$2,828

76.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,848

$1,589 CA$2,208

74.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$5,181 CA$7,198

78.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,845

$3,934 CA$5,465

80.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,827

$2,960 CA$4,113

17.36%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,995 in Vancouver 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.

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 $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $392 – 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 37% 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 $4,247 per month in Vancouver 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.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $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 Vancouver at $2,831. 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 $2,063 versus $2,831 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.