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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,783 per month in Vancouver vs $2,108 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,030 per month in Vancouver vs $3,226 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,278 per month in Vancouver vs $4,344 in Montreal, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 32% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Montreal sit above the global median – Vancouver by 102%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.95

$17.83 CA$24.73

0.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$73.6 CA$102

-0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 CA$14.92

$10.81 CA$15.00

-0.46%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.79

$3.92 CA$5.44

6.38%

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

$2.20 CA$3.05

$2.04 CA$2.84

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.52 CA$2.11

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.19

$6.59 CA$9.14

-10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.24

$7.14 CA$9.90

-6.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.37 CA$3.28

-7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$3.23 CA$4.48

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$2.95 CA$4.10

50.17%

Eggs

$4.20 CA$5.83

$3.69 CA$5.12

13.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.47

$13.65 CA$18.93

-12.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.95

$11.94 CA$16.56

14.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 CA$28.18

$14.07 CA$19.52

44.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$3.61 CA$5.01

17.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$1.55 CA$2.15

-10.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.61

$3.29 CA$4.56

23.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$3.07 CA$4.26

31.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$2.00 CA$2.78

43.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.15

$1.90 CA$2.64

57.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.39 CA$1.93

18.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.07

$11.80 CA$16.36

34.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$10.80 CA$14.98

35.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.37 CA$3.29

17.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$2.90 CA$4.02

5.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$2.74 CA$3.79

-6.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$115

$77.1 CA$107

7.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$3.31 CA$4.59

-18.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$1.46 CA$2.02

11.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.33

$32.98 CA$45.74

-0.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.31 CA$1.82

9.92%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$28.7K CA$39.8K

-1.11%

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

$19.5K CA$27.1K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

-4.43%

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

$79.2 CA$110

$79.9 CA$111

-0.85%

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

$36.21 CA$50.2

$34.79 CA$48.25

4.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 CA$71.2

$42.55 CA$59.0

20.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.4

$29.20 CA$40.50

49.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$20.33 CA$28.20

-35.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.44

$11.48 CA$15.93

3.22%

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

$1,131 CA$1,568

$565 CA$784

100.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

18.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.2

$60.2 CA$83.5

-0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 CA$48.32

$41.87 CA$58.1

-16.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$125

$104 CA$144

-13.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 CA$130

$113 CA$156

-16.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,505

$1,294 CA$1,795

39.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,193

$1,014 CA$1,407

55.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 CA$4,413

$2,271 CA$3,149

40.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CA$3,418

$1,683 CA$2,334

46.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,841 CA$12.3K

$5,156 CA$7,151

71.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,963 CA$9,657

$3,842 CA$5,328

81.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,184

$3,032 CA$4,205

23.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.44

-5.18%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,806 in Vancouver versus $1,294 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 23% 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 $73.0 in Vancouver versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $408 in Vancouver vs $358 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

Vancouver vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 32% 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 $4,174 per month in Vancouver and $3,163 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 14% 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 $73.0 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 $2,108, than in Vancouver at $2,783. 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 $2,108 versus $2,783 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.