Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Sherbrooke Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Sherbrooke

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Kingston vs $1,653 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,118 per month in Kingston vs $2,630 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,957 per month in Kingston vs $3,607 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

Kingston costs about 38% more than Sherbrooke, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kingston and Sherbrooke sit above the global median – Kingston by 66%, Sherbrooke by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.20 CA$21.03

$17.96 CA$24.85

-15.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 CA$88.8

$68.5 CA$94.8

-6.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$10.81 CA$14.95

6.29%

Cappuccino

$3.47 CA$4.81

$3.41 CA$4.72

1.76%

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

$2.10 CA$2.91

$1.90 CA$2.63

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.78 CA$2.46

-25.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 CA$8.32

$5.79 CA$8.00

3.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 CA$8.60

$5.09 CA$7.05

22.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.83

$2.79 CA$3.86

-26.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CA$3.59

$2.87 CA$3.98

-9.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.54

$3.62 CA$5.01

-9.39%

Eggs

$3.07 CA$4.25

$3.19 CA$4.42

-3.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 CA$14.57

$12.03 CA$16.65

-12.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 CA$15.82

$10.98 CA$15.19

4.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 CA$14.03

$16.35 CA$22.62

-37.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.22

$4.18 CA$5.79

-27.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$1.52 CA$2.10

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 CA$4.96

$3.86 CA$5.34

-6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.07

$3.39 CA$4.69

8.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$1.70 CA$2.35

93.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CA$3.15

$2.77 CA$3.83

-18.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$1.82 CA$2.51

49.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$1.85 CA$2.56

-11.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.44 CA$18.60

$12.88 CA$17.82

4.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 CA$16.66

$12.19 CA$16.86

-1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$3.99 CA$5.52

-43.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.52

$3.82 CA$5.28

-14.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.60

$2.68 CA$3.71

-2.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 CA$80.1

$62.6 CA$86.6

-7.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 CA$4.62

$3.64 CA$5.04

-8.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$0.89 CA$1.23

69.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.10 CA$44.41

$32.77 CA$45.34

-2.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 CA$1.48

$1.25 CA$1.73

-14.40%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$28.1K CA$38.9K

2.32%

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

$19.8K CA$27.4K

$19.1K CA$26.4K

3.85%

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

$121 CA$168

$72.5 CA$100

67.46%

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

$39.59 CA$54.8

$44.39 CA$61.4

-10.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CA$91.5

$48.99 CA$67.8

34.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.84 CA$39.91

$29.20 CA$40.40

-1.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 CA$12.21

$6.81 CA$9.42

29.52%

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 CA$14.73

$10.33 CA$14.29

3.10%

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

$537 CA$743

$899 CA$1,243

-40.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,597 CA$13.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$73.5

$65.0 CA$90.0

-18.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.59 CA$46.48

$31.66 CA$43.81

6.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 CA$115

$62.9 CA$87.1

31.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 CA$122

$127 CA$176

-30.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 CA$2,158

$833 CA$1,153

87.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 CA$1,702

$580 CA$802

112.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,393 CA$3,311

$1,285 CA$1,778

86.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 CA$2,221

$1,020 CA$1,411

57.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,500 CA$4,843

$2,248 CA$3,111

55.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 CA$3,503

$1,795 CA$2,484

41.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,064 CA$4,240

$2,783 CA$3,851

10.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

4.76

-3.15%

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

Last update for Kingston: September 1, 2026

Last update for Sherbrooke: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,559 in Kingston versus $833 in Sherbrooke. 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 10% higher in Kingston, 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 $64.0 in Kingston versus $68.0 in Sherbrooke. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $378 – making Kingston 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

Kingston vs Sherbrooke: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,280 in Kingston, $1,653 in Sherbrooke – roughly 38% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Kingston and $2,479 in Sherbrooke. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sherbrooke, 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 $2,280 in Kingston and $1,653 in Sherbrooke. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Sherbrooke. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sherbrooke, where all-in costs run around $1,653, than in Kingston at $2,280. In Sherbrooke it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sherbrooke – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Sherbrooke. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.