Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Charlottetown Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Charlottetown

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,073 per month in Montreal vs $2,024 in Charlottetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,175 per month in Montreal vs $3,001 in Charlottetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,277 per month in Montreal vs $3,978 in Charlottetown, rent included.

Montreal costs about 2% more than Charlottetown, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Montreal and Charlottetown sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Charlottetown by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 CA$22.77

$14.69 CA$20.63

10.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 CA$104

$60.7 CA$85.1

22.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 CA$15.64

$8.91 CA$12.51

25.03%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.37

$3.77 CA$5.29

1.59%

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

$2.13 CA$3.00

$1.74 CA$2.44

22.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.33 CA$1.87

9.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 CA$8.58

$5.76 CA$8.08

6.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 CA$9.07

$5.87 CA$8.24

10.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.14

$2.03 CA$2.85

10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.52

$2.89 CA$4.05

11.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.13

$4.24 CA$5.95

-13.92%

Eggs

$3.36 CA$4.72

$4.01 CA$5.63

-16.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.97 CA$22.41

$12.38 CA$17.38

29.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 CA$16.62

$14.32 CA$20.10

-17.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.18 CA$21.31

$16.25 CA$22.81

-6.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

$3.90 CA$5.47

-4.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.63 CA$2.29

4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$3.87 CA$5.43

2.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.25

$5.40 CA$7.58

-17.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.73

$2.08 CA$2.92

27.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$2.21 CA$3.11

16.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.12

$2.79 CA$3.92

-20.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$1.88 CA$2.64

-9.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.02 CA$18.27

$18.17 CA$25.51

-28.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 CA$15.08

$13.73 CA$19.28

-21.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.30

$3.35 CA$4.71

-8.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 CA$4.98

$3.22 CA$4.53

10.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$1.48 CA$2.08

81.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.0 CA$104

$14.69 CA$20.61

403.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 CA$5.11

$7.75 CA$10.88

-53.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$2.05 CA$2.87

-29.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.18 CA$47.98

$29.15 CA$40.91

17.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.19 CA$1.67

-1.68%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

0.11%

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

$22.0K CA$30.9K

$21.1K CA$29.6K

4.40%

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

$75.2 CA$106

$134 CA$188

-43.73%

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

$36.93 CA$51.8

$38.13 CA$53.5

-3.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.25 CA$62.1

$83.2 CA$117

-46.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 CA$59.0

$56.7 CA$79.6

-25.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.79 CA$23.56

$14.61 CA$20.51

14.92%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 CA$15.26

$10.82 CA$15.19

0.46%

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

$624 CA$876

$167 CA$235

272.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 CA$8,220

$11.9K CA$16.7K

-50.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 CA$86.6

$41.41 CA$58.1

48.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.74 CA$62.8

$35.12 CA$49.30

27.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$143

$86.2 CA$121

17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$169

$136 CA$191

-11.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 CA$1,712

$1,117 CA$1,568

9.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 CA$1,341

$877 CA$1,231

8.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 CA$2,869

$1,728 CA$2,425

18.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 CA$2,223

$1,407 CA$1,975

12.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,158 CA$7,239

$3,232 CA$4,537

59.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,803 CA$5,338

$1,940 CA$2,723

96.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,899 CA$4,069

$2,460 CA$3,453

17.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.46

-22.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 26, 2026

Last update for Charlottetown: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,220 in Montreal versus $1,117 in Charlottetown. 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 18% higher in Montreal, 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $61.0 in Charlottetown. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Montreal vs $407 in Charlottetown – so Montreal 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

Montreal vs Charlottetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 2% more than Charlottetown, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,110 per month in Montreal and $3,036 in Charlottetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Charlottetown, 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 $2,073 in Montreal and $2,024 in Charlottetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 404% less in Charlottetown. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Charlottetown, where all-in costs run around $2,024, than in Montreal at $2,073. In Charlottetown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Charlottetown costs $2,024 versus $2,073 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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