Cost of Living Comparison Between Fredericton and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Fredericton and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,978 in Fredericton versus $2,042 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,003 in Fredericton versus $3,163 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,027 in Fredericton versus $4,284 in Montreal.

Living in Fredericton costs roughly 3% less than in Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fredericton 45% above, Montreal 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 CA$22.37

$18.22 CA$25.49

-12.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 CA$90.4

$70.6 CA$98.8

-8.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 CA$18.45

$10.89 CA$15.23

21.12%

Cappuccino

$4.20 CA$5.88

$3.92 CA$5.49

7.14%

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

$2.74 CA$3.84

$1.97 CA$2.76

39.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 CA$2.97

$1.59 CA$2.23

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.52 CA$7.72

$6.52 CA$9.12

-15.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 CA$6.87

$7.24 CA$10.13

-32.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$2.29 CA$3.20

-23.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$3.99

$3.11 CA$4.35

-8.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.64

$3.03 CA$4.24

-14.19%

Eggs

$3.96 CA$5.54

$3.59 CA$5.03

10.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 CA$15.66

$14.29 CA$19.99

-21.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.04 CA$14.04

$11.39 CA$15.93

-11.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 CA$14.52

$14.56 CA$20.37

-28.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 CA$6.59

$3.44 CA$4.81

36.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.24

$1.53 CA$2.14

4.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.90 CA$6.86

$3.20 CA$4.48

53.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 CA$7.41

$2.89 CA$4.04

83.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.51

$1.91 CA$2.67

31.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.22

$1.80 CA$2.52

-11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CA$3.13

$2.56 CA$3.58

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CA$2.25

$1.50 CA$2.10

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.56 CA$16.17

$11.68 CA$16.35

-1.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 CA$17.40

$10.62 CA$14.85

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.42

$2.37 CA$3.32

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 CA$6.29

$3.03 CA$4.24

48.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.20 CA$3.08

$2.72 CA$3.80

-19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 CA$81.3

$74.2 CA$104

-21.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 CA$4.01

$3.19 CA$4.47

-10.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.45 CA$2.03

-8.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.34 CA$29.85

$33.52 CA$46.90

-36.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$1.31 CA$1.83

-8.40%

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

$28.0K CA$39.2K

$28.7K CA$40.1K

-2.32%

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

$19.0K CA$26.5K

$20.4K CA$28.5K

-6.90%

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

$127 CA$178

$78.2 CA$109

62.60%

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

$73.0 CA$102

$35.53 CA$49.70

105.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.7 CA$102

$43.37 CA$60.7

67.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.00 CA$57.4

$30.84 CA$43.14

32.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.49 CA$35.65

$19.99 CA$27.97

27.51%

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 CA$14.86

$11.58 CA$16.20

-8.29%

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

$599 CA$838

$552 CA$772

8.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,747 CA$2,443

$16.5K CA$23.1K

-89.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 CA$71.6

$55.4 CA$77.5

-7.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.72 CA$57.0

$38.30 CA$53.6

6.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 CA$109

$99.0 CA$138

-20.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 CA$117

$104 CA$146

-19.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 CA$1,583

$1,234 CA$1,726

-8.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 CA$1,232

$990 CA$1,385

-11.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,869 CA$2,615

$2,171 CA$3,037

-13.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,477 CA$2,066

$1,636 CA$2,289

-9.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,905 CA$2,665

$5,129 CA$7,176

-62.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,896 CA$2,653

$3,724 CA$5,209

-49.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 CA$3,364

$3,059 CA$4,279

-21.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.77

4.44

7.43%

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

Last update for Fredericton: September 14, 2026

Last update for Montreal: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,132 in Fredericton and $1,234 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 27% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Fredericton vs $71.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $354, 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

Fredericton vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fredericton is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Montreal. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,132 in Fredericton versus $1,234 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Fredericton runs roughly 28% less than in Montreal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $599 in Fredericton versus $552 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,978 in Fredericton versus $2,042 in Montreal, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fredericton but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Fredericton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fredericton 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, Fredericton 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 Fredericton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.