Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort St John, BC and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort St John, BC and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,009 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,056 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,062 in Fort St John, BC versus $3,112 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,115 in Fort St John, BC versus $4,167 in Montreal.

Living in Fort St John, BC costs roughly 2% less than in Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort St John, BC 46% above, Montreal 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.68

$17.85 CA$24.72

-0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.75 CA$60.6

$72.3 CA$100

-39.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 CA$13.19

$10.92 CA$15.12

-12.73%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.37

$3.97 CA$5.49

-2.27%

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

$1.81 CA$2.51

$2.07 CA$2.87

-12.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.55 CA$2.14

-19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 CA$8.80

$6.41 CA$8.88

-0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 CA$6.32

$7.29 CA$10.10

-37.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.47 CA$4.81

$2.39 CA$3.30

45.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$3.21 CA$4.44

-8.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.29

$3.07 CA$4.25

24.43%

Eggs

$4.03 CA$5.58

$3.68 CA$5.09

9.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 CA$16.71

$13.57 CA$18.79

-11.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.58 CA$18.80

$11.63 CA$16.10

16.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.00 CA$26.30

$13.97 CA$19.34

36.01%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 CA$8.34

$3.68 CA$5.10

63.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 CA$0.94

$1.56 CA$2.16

-56.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.21

$3.41 CA$4.72

10.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$3.03 CA$4.19

19.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 CA$3.85

$1.98 CA$2.75

40.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.90

$1.82 CA$2.53

54.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 CA$2.88

$2.56 CA$3.54

-18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.42

$1.39 CA$1.92

77.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.37

$11.49 CA$15.91

28.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.48 CA$29.74

$10.92 CA$15.12

96.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.15 CA$7.13

$2.26 CA$3.13

127.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 CA$7.93

$3.01 CA$4.16

90.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$2.69 CA$3.72

-46.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.62 CA$39.63

$75.3 CA$104

-62.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.66

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.29 CA$1.79

-0.78%

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

$28.3K CA$39.2K

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

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

$128 CA$177

$80.4 CA$111

59.30%

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

$100 CA$139

$34.23 CA$47.40

192.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$83.6

$41.39 CA$57.3

45.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.88 CA$19.21

$29.24 CA$40.49

-52.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.54

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.22

$11.71 CA$16.21

-6.15%

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

$729 CA$1,009

$564 CA$781

29.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 CA$99.0

$59.5 CA$82.4

20.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.09 CA$65.2

$42.13 CA$58.3

11.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

-0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 CA$199

$111 CA$153

29.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 CA$1,033

$1,284 CA$1,778

-41.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 CA$1,011

$990 CA$1,371

-26.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 CA$2,188

$2,260 CA$3,129

-30.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,422 CA$1,969

$1,667 CA$2,308

-14.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,321

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,279

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,100 CA$4,293

$3,019 CA$4,180

2.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

4.41

38.32%

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

Last update for Fort St John, BC: August 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $746 in Fort St John, BC and $1,284 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Fort St John, BC vs $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $456 vs $356, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

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

Fort St John, BC vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort St John, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Fort St John, BC, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $746 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,284 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort St John, BC – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $72.0 in Montreal. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,009 per month in Fort St John, BC versus $2,056 in Montreal – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,009 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,056 in Montreal, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fort St John, BC but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Fort St John, BC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fort St John, BC is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montreal, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fort St John, BC and Montreal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Fort St John, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.