Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlottetown and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlottetown and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,023 per month in Charlottetown vs $2,084 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,039 per month in Charlottetown vs $3,161 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,055 per month in Charlottetown vs $4,239 in Montreal, rent included.

Charlottetown is about 3% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Charlottetown and Montreal sit above the global median – Charlottetown by 51%, Montreal by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.68 CA$20.50

$15.97 CA$22.30

-8.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 CA$83.3

$73.4 CA$102

-18.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 CA$12.53

$10.97 CA$15.32

-18.23%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.38

$3.79 CA$5.29

1.58%

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

$1.75 CA$2.44

$2.16 CA$3.01

-18.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 CA$1.84

$1.50 CA$2.09

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$8.03

$5.90 CA$8.24

-2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 CA$8.40

$6.82 CA$9.52

-11.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CA$2.76

$2.31 CA$3.23

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$3.98

$3.38 CA$4.72

-15.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.75

$3.83 CA$5.36

7.57%

Eggs

$4.07 CA$5.68

$3.40 CA$4.75

19.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.79 CA$17.86

$16.11 CA$22.50

-20.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.25

$11.78 CA$16.46

23.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.21 CA$22.64

$15.32 CA$21.40

5.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.71

$3.66 CA$5.11

11.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$1.61 CA$2.25

1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.26

$4.07 CA$5.68

-7.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.57 CA$7.77

$4.40 CA$6.14

26.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.94

$2.68 CA$3.74

-21.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 CA$2.95

$2.66 CA$3.72

-20.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$2.29 CA$3.20

17.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.63

$1.77 CA$2.48

6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.63 CA$26.01

$13.07 CA$18.25

42.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 CA$19.58

$10.70 CA$14.94

31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.52

$3.13 CA$4.37

3.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.61

$3.45 CA$4.82

-4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$2.84 CA$3.97

-47.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.52 CA$20.28

$72.7 CA$102

-80.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 CA$11.23

$3.52 CA$4.92

128.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 CA$2.92

$1.44 CA$2.01

45.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.95 CA$40.42

$33.29 CA$46.48

-13.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.74

$1.23 CA$1.71

1.63%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$25.4K CA$35.4K

-0.20%

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

$20.9K CA$29.2K

$21.5K CA$30.0K

-2.60%

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

$131 CA$183

$73.9 CA$103

77.39%

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

$37.89 CA$52.9

$36.87 CA$51.5

2.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.3 CA$116

$42.97 CA$60.0

93.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.4

$42.82 CA$59.8

27.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.83 CA$20.71

$16.86 CA$23.55

-12.04%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.35

$11.19 CA$15.63

-1.79%

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

$163 CA$228

$608 CA$850

-73.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.5K

$5,823 CA$8,132

103.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.79 CA$58.4

$61.1 CA$85.3

-31.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 CA$48.55

$44.96 CA$62.8

-22.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 CA$121

$102 CA$143

-14.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 CA$189

$122 CA$170

10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 CA$1,568

$1,198 CA$1,674

-6.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 CA$1,243

$942 CA$1,316

-5.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 CA$2,402

$2,087 CA$2,914

-17.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 CA$2,025

$1,559 CA$2,178

-6.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,275 CA$4,574

$5,093 CA$7,112

-35.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,007 CA$2,803

$3,783 CA$5,283

-46.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,502 CA$3,495

$2,880 CA$4,022

-13.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.01

28.94%

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

Last update for Charlottetown: June 6, 2026

Last update for Montreal: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,123 in Charlottetown versus $1,198 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 15% higher in Montreal, 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 $60.0 in Charlottetown versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $408 in Charlottetown vs $393 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

Charlottetown vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 3% more than Charlottetown, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,035 per month in Charlottetown and $3,126 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Charlottetown, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,023 in Charlottetown and $2,084 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 401% less in Charlottetown. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Charlottetown, where all-in costs run around $2,023, than in Montreal at $2,084. In Charlottetown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Charlottetown costs $2,023 versus $2,084 in Montreal. 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 Charlottetown. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.