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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,194 per month in Edmonton vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,321 per month in Edmonton vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,448 per month in Edmonton vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Edmonton costs about 6% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Edmonton and Montreal sit above the global median – Edmonton by 64%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.38

$15.92 CA$22.14

14.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.5 CA$91.0

$73.1 CA$102

-10.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 CA$15.93

$11.15 CA$15.50

2.69%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.38

$3.80 CA$5.29

1.84%

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

$2.08 CA$2.89

$2.18 CA$3.03

-4.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.44

$1.46 CA$2.03

20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.24

$6.12 CA$8.51

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.13

$6.78 CA$9.42

-13.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CA$2.88

$2.33 CA$3.24

-11.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 CA$4.05

$3.39 CA$4.72

-14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.42

$3.73 CA$5.19

-14.75%

Eggs

$3.76 CA$5.23

$3.38 CA$4.70

11.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 CA$17.36

$16.25 CA$22.60

-23.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.38 CA$17.22

$11.54 CA$16.05

7.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.32 CA$22.70

$15.24 CA$21.19

7.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.72

$3.74 CA$5.20

29.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.70 CA$2.37

-22.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.35

$4.11 CA$5.71

-6.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.22

$4.35 CA$6.05

-13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 CA$3.26

$2.71 CA$3.76

-13.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 CA$2.94

$2.62 CA$3.64

-19.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.62

$2.25 CA$3.13

16.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.66

$1.73 CA$2.40

10.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.87 CA$20.67

$13.31 CA$18.51

11.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 CA$17.36

$10.78 CA$15.00

15.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$3.01 CA$4.19

1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.55

$3.46 CA$4.82

-5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.74 CA$3.81

-6.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$100

$72.7 CA$101

-0.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CA$4.46

$3.63 CA$5.05

-11.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$1.46 CA$2.03

12.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.35 CA$32.47

$33.44 CA$46.50

-30.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.21 CA$1.69

-9.09%

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

$25.6K CA$35.6K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

3.89%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

1.62%

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

$199 CA$277

$76.0 CA$106

162.34%

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

$44.00 CA$61.2

$35.72 CA$49.68

23.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 CA$89.1

$42.86 CA$59.6

49.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.62 CA$66.2

$42.92 CA$59.7

10.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.62 CA$30.07

$17.23 CA$23.97

25.48%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 CA$18.16

$11.09 CA$15.42

17.76%

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

$683 CA$950

$620 CA$862

10.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.5K

$5,834 CA$8,114

103.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.94 CA$68.1

$62.7 CA$87.1

-21.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.19 CA$58.7

$44.41 CA$61.8

-5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 CA$116

$101 CA$140

-16.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$145

$119 CA$166

-12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 CA$1,685

$1,211 CA$1,684

0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 CA$1,300

$960 CA$1,334

-2.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,878 CA$2,611

$2,035 CA$2,831

-7.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CA$2,241

$1,589 CA$2,210

1.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,397 CA$3,334

$5,181 CA$7,205

-53.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,275 CA$3,164

$3,934 CA$5,470

-42.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,486 CA$4,848

$2,960 CA$4,116

17.77%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,212 in Edmonton 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 18% 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 $65.0 in Edmonton versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $392 – 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: $2,194 in Edmonton, $2,063 in Montreal – roughly 6% apart. Edmonton costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,291 per month in Edmonton 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,194 in Edmonton and $2,063 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% 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 $2,063, than in Edmonton at $2,194. 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 $2,063 in Montreal to $2,194 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.