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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,216 per month in Edmonton vs $2,108 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,231 per month in Edmonton vs $3,226 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,245 per month in Edmonton vs $4,344 in Montreal, rent included.

Edmonton costs about 5% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Edmonton and Montreal sit above the global median – Edmonton by 61%, Montreal by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.53 CA$28.47

$17.83 CA$24.73

15.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 CA$110

$73.6 CA$102

8.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 CA$13.84

$10.81 CA$15.00

-7.68%

Cappuccino

$4.04 CA$5.60

$3.92 CA$5.44

3.06%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.04 CA$2.84

7.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.66

$1.52 CA$2.11

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.14

$6.59 CA$9.14

-10.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.13

$7.14 CA$9.90

-7.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$2.37 CA$3.28

-29.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$3.23 CA$4.48

-30.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 CA$4.34

$2.95 CA$4.10

6.10%

Eggs

$3.46 CA$4.80

$3.69 CA$5.12

-6.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 CA$15.20

$13.65 CA$18.93

-19.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 CA$16.11

$11.94 CA$16.56

-2.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 CA$25.68

$14.07 CA$19.52

31.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.16

$3.61 CA$5.01

22.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$1.55 CA$2.15

-12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.94

$3.29 CA$4.56

30.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.62

$3.07 CA$4.26

31.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.00 CA$2.78

13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 CA$3.36

$2.64 CA$3.66

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.51

$1.39 CA$1.93

30.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.49 CA$20.10

$11.80 CA$16.36

22.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 CA$16.26

$10.80 CA$14.98

8.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.07

$2.37 CA$3.29

54.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.23

$2.90 CA$4.02

5.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$2.74 CA$3.79

-2.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$101

$77.1 CA$107

-5.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 CA$4.20

$3.31 CA$4.59

-8.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.46 CA$2.02

-6.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.77 CA$30.20

$32.98 CA$45.74

-33.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$1.31 CA$1.82

-11.45%

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

$29.2K CA$40.4K

$28.7K CA$39.8K

1.52%

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

$19.7K CA$27.4K

$20.4K CA$28.4K

-3.53%

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

$228 CA$316

$79.9 CA$111

184.99%

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

$41.39 CA$57.4

$34.79 CA$48.25

18.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 CA$76.5

$42.55 CA$59.0

29.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.77 CA$67.6

$29.20 CA$40.50

67.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 CA$25.25

$20.33 CA$28.20

-10.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 CA$18.00

$11.48 CA$15.93

13.07%

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

$783 CA$1,086

$565 CA$784

38.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,700 CA$13.5K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

-41.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.17 CA$62.7

$60.2 CA$83.5

-24.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.85 CA$66.4

$41.87 CA$58.1

14.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 CA$119

$104 CA$144

-17.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 CA$136

$113 CA$156

-12.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,136 CA$1,576

$1,294 CA$1,795

-12.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 CA$1,276

$1,014 CA$1,407

-9.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,734 CA$2,404

$2,271 CA$3,149

-23.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 CA$2,015

$1,683 CA$2,334

-13.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,251 CA$3,122

$5,156 CA$7,151

-56.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,112 CA$2,929

$3,842 CA$5,328

-45.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,780 CA$5,243

$3,032 CA$4,205

24.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.44

-2.70%

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

Last update for Edmonton: September 7, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,136 in Edmonton 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 25% 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 $80.0 in Edmonton versus $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $358 – 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

Edmonton vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,216 in Edmonton, $2,108 in Montreal – roughly 5% apart. Edmonton costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,324 per month in Edmonton 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,216 in Edmonton and $2,108 in Montreal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% 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 $2,108, than in Edmonton at $2,216. 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 $2,108 in Montreal to $2,216 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.