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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,286 per month in Kingston vs $1,695 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,230 per month in Kingston vs $2,608 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,173 per month in Kingston vs $3,522 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

Kingston costs about 35% more than Sherbrooke, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kingston and Sherbrooke sit above the global median – Kingston by 70%, Sherbrooke by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.72 CA$22.91

$18.22 CA$24.96

-8.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$102

$70.0 CA$95.9

6.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.28 CA$15.46

$11.05 CA$15.14

2.08%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.06

$3.37 CA$4.61

9.50%

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

$1.90 CA$2.60

$2.03 CA$2.78

-6.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.88 CA$2.57

-23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 CA$8.28

$5.93 CA$8.12

1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.83

$5.08 CA$6.97

26.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 CA$3.53

$2.80 CA$3.83

-7.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 CA$3.47

$2.88 CA$3.95

-11.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.71

$3.90 CA$5.35

6.92%

Eggs

$2.91 CA$3.99

$3.27 CA$4.48

-11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 CA$14.63

$12.05 CA$16.51

-11.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.64

$9.85 CA$13.49

15.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 CA$15.63

$16.63 CA$22.78

-31.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.87

$4.92 CA$6.75

-27.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.80

$1.54 CA$2.11

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$3.80 CA$5.20

5.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CA$6.66

$3.42 CA$4.68

42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.85

$1.74 CA$2.39

103.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.30

$2.03 CA$2.78

18.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$1.79 CA$2.46

65.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.22

$1.80 CA$2.46

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 CA$19.00

$12.69 CA$17.39

9.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 CA$17.06

$13.08 CA$17.91

-4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CA$3.13

$3.67 CA$5.02

-37.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.53

$3.75 CA$5.13

-12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.46

$2.72 CA$3.73

-7.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.0 CA$79.5

$63.5 CA$87.0

-8.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CA$4.48

$3.78 CA$5.17

-13.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.16

$0.80 CA$1.09

96.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.56 CA$44.60

$34.69 CA$47.53

-6.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.49

$1.21 CA$1.65

-10.74%

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

$24.6K CA$33.7K

$24.7K CA$33.8K

-0.21%

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

$21.4K CA$29.3K

$20.7K CA$28.3K

3.35%

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

$130 CA$178

$71.7 CA$98.3

81.00%

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

$44.36 CA$60.8

$43.28 CA$59.3

2.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 CA$108

$54.1 CA$74.1

45.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.36 CA$44.33

$29.00 CA$39.73

11.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.29 CA$12.73

$7.18 CA$9.84

29.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.32

$10.16 CA$13.91

10.04%

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

$446 CA$611

$897 CA$1,229

-50.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.0K

$9,559 CA$13.1K

22.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.10 CA$63.2

$63.3 CA$86.8

-27.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 CA$49.25

$31.50 CA$43.16

14.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 CA$130

$65.5 CA$89.8

45.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.3 CA$126

$108 CA$148

-14.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,766

$875 CA$1,199

47.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 CA$1,630

$657 CA$900

81.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 CA$2,918

$1,234 CA$1,691

72.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 CA$2,301

$997 CA$1,366

68.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,450 CA$4,726

$2,283 CA$3,128

51.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,513 CA$3,443

$1,808 CA$2,477

39.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,086 CA$4,228

$2,755 CA$3,775

12.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.32

5.85%

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

Last update for Kingston: April 12, 2026

Last update for Sherbrooke: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Kingston versus $875 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 12% 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 $74 in Kingston versus $70 in Sherbrooke. Groceries tell a different story – $359 in Kingston vs $377 in Sherbrooke – so Kingston wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $2,286 in Kingston, $1,695 in Sherbrooke – roughly 35% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,429 per month in Kingston and $2,542 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 $2,286 in Kingston and $1,695 in Sherbrooke. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% 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 $1,695, than in Kingston at $2,286. 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.