Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,683 per month in Victoria vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,048 per month in Victoria vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,413 per month in Victoria vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Victoria costs about 30% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Victoria and Montreal sit above the global median – Victoria by 100%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.24 CA$25.34

$15.92 CA$22.12

14.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$73.1 CA$102

12.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$11.15 CA$15.49

Cappuccino

$4.00 CA$5.56

$3.80 CA$5.28

5.26%

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

$2.32 CA$3.22

$2.18 CA$3.03

6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 CA$2.85

$1.46 CA$2.03

40.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.26

$6.12 CA$8.51

-14.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.97

$6.78 CA$9.41

-4.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$2.33 CA$3.23

26.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 CA$4.45

$3.39 CA$4.71

-5.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.26 CA$7.31

$3.73 CA$5.18

41.02%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$6.06

$3.38 CA$4.70

28.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 CA$18.37

$16.25 CA$22.58

-18.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.96 CA$20.78

$11.54 CA$16.04

29.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 CA$21.28

$15.24 CA$21.17

0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.33

$3.74 CA$5.20

21.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 CA$2.32

$1.70 CA$2.37

-1.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.11

$4.11 CA$5.70

7.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CA$6.68

$4.35 CA$6.05

10.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.26

$2.71 CA$3.76

39.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$2.62 CA$3.63

24.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.25 CA$3.13

23.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CA$3.69

$1.73 CA$2.40

53.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.68 CA$21.79

$13.31 CA$18.49

17.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.28 CA$25.39

$10.78 CA$14.98

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 CA$5.47

$3.01 CA$4.19

30.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 CA$6.32

$3.46 CA$4.81

31.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.87 CA$2.60

$2.74 CA$3.81

-31.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 CA$88.5

$72.7 CA$101

-12.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$3.63 CA$5.05

-25.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.46 CA$2.03

-8.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.20 CA$46.13

$33.44 CA$46.46

-0.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.21 CA$1.68

12.40%

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

$25.4K CA$35.3K

$24.6K CA$34.2K

3.07%

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

$21.2K CA$29.5K

$21.7K CA$30.1K

-2.11%

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

$140 CA$194

$76.0 CA$106

83.54%

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

$53.4 CA$74.1

$35.72 CA$49.63

49.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 CA$99.1

$42.86 CA$59.6

66.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 CA$62.0

$42.92 CA$59.6

4.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 CA$23.60

$17.23 CA$23.94

-1.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 CA$16.43

$11.09 CA$15.40

6.58%

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

$646 CA$897

$620 CA$861

4.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K CA$19.4K

$5,834 CA$8,106

139.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$81.5

$62.7 CA$87.1

-6.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 CA$62.2

$44.41 CA$61.7

0.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 CA$133

$101 CA$140

-4.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CA$156

$119 CA$165

-5.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 CA$2,173

$1,211 CA$1,683

29.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 CA$1,910

$960 CA$1,333

43.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,740 CA$3,807

$2,035 CA$2,828

34.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,402 CA$3,337

$1,589 CA$2,208

51.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,702 CA$7,922

$5,181 CA$7,198

10.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,713 CA$6,548

$3,934 CA$5,465

19.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,994 CA$4,160

$2,960 CA$4,113

1.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

5.01

27.35%

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

Last update for Victoria: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,564 in Victoria 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 1% higher in Victoria, 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 $82.0 in Victoria versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $461 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

Victoria vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria costs about 30% 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 $4,024 per month in Victoria 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 18% more in Victoria, 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 $82.0 in Victoria 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 Victoria at $2,683. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Victoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,683 in Victoria. 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, Victoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.