Cost of Living Comparison Between Edmonton and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Edmonton and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,186 per month in Edmonton vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,285 per month in Edmonton vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,385 per month in Edmonton vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Edmonton costs about 5% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Edmonton and Montreal sit above the global median – Edmonton by 64%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.61 CA$26.19

$16.52 CA$23.24

12.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 CA$92.7

$74.0 CA$104

-10.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 CA$16.29

$10.94 CA$15.40

5.85%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.19

$3.84 CA$5.41

-3.91%

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

$2.18 CA$3.07

$2.14 CA$3.01

1.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$1.45 CA$2.04

22.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.10

$6.13 CA$8.63

-6.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 CA$8.20

$6.73 CA$9.47

-13.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.86

$2.35 CA$3.31

-13.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 CA$4.08

$3.34 CA$4.69

-13.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 CA$4.36

$3.74 CA$5.27

-17.11%

Eggs

$3.72 CA$5.23

$3.39 CA$4.77

9.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 CA$17.20

$16.30 CA$22.93

-24.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.63 CA$17.78

$11.81 CA$16.62

6.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.01 CA$22.52

$15.64 CA$22.01

2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 CA$6.55

$3.69 CA$5.20

26.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.70 CA$2.39

-21.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.55

$4.11 CA$5.79

-4.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.10

$4.41 CA$6.20

-17.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.46

$2.79 CA$3.93

-11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.11

$2.64 CA$3.72

-16.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.82

$2.29 CA$3.22

18.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.78 CA$2.51

9.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$13.17 CA$18.53

13.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 CA$17.09

$10.64 CA$14.97

14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.14

$2.99 CA$4.20

-1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 CA$4.63

$3.44 CA$4.83

-4.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$2.81 CA$3.95

-10.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 CA$105

$72.8 CA$102

2.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.59

$3.52 CA$4.95

-7.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$1.45 CA$2.05

13.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.15 CA$32.57

$34.29 CA$48.26

-32.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.49

$1.22 CA$1.72

-13.11%

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

$25.9K CA$36.4K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

2.55%

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

$21.9K CA$30.9K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-0.88%

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

$199 CA$279

$76.5 CA$108

159.52%

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

$44.38 CA$62.5

$35.60 CA$50.1

24.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 CA$93.1

$42.96 CA$60.5

54.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.71 CA$68.5

$43.39 CA$61.1

12.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.30 CA$29.97

$16.83 CA$23.68

26.56%

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 CA$18.33

$11.09 CA$15.60

17.40%

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

$701 CA$986

$625 CA$879

12.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.6K

$5,896 CA$8,296

100.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 CA$70.8

$63.1 CA$88.8

-20.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.94 CA$59.0

$44.50 CA$62.6

-5.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 CA$117

$103 CA$145

-18.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$146

$118 CA$166

-12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 CA$1,761

$1,207 CA$1,699

3.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 CA$1,310

$965 CA$1,358

-3.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 CA$2,721

$2,031 CA$2,858

-4.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 CA$2,233

$1,577 CA$2,219

0.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,303 CA$3,240

$5,085 CA$7,155

-54.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 CA$2,969

$3,783 CA$5,324

-44.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,313 CA$4,661

$2,890 CA$4,066

14.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.01

21.36%

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

Last update for Edmonton: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,251 in Edmonton 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 15% higher in Edmonton, 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 $66.0 in Edmonton versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 vs $395 – making Edmonton 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

Edmonton vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,186 in Edmonton, $2,085 in Montreal – roughly 5% apart. Edmonton costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,278 per month in Edmonton 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,186 in Edmonton and $2,085 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,085, than in Edmonton at $2,186. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edmonton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,085 in Montreal to $2,186 in Edmonton. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Edmonton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.