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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,042 per month in Montreal vs $1,997 in Charlottetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,163 per month in Montreal vs $2,949 in Charlottetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,284 per month in Montreal vs $3,900 in Charlottetown, rent included.

Montreal costs about 2% more than Charlottetown, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Charlottetown sit above the global median – Montreal by 49%, Charlottetown by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.22 CA$25.49

$14.23 CA$19.91

28.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$98.8

$61.7 CA$86.3

14.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 CA$15.23

$9.51 CA$13.30

14.51%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.49

$3.63 CA$5.07

7.99%

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

$1.97 CA$2.76

$1.76 CA$2.46

11.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$1.38 CA$1.93

15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 CA$9.12

$5.88 CA$8.23

10.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 CA$10.13

$5.62 CA$7.86

28.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.20

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 CA$4.35

$3.02 CA$4.22

2.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$4.89 CA$6.84

-38.04%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$5.03

$4.04 CA$5.65

-11.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 CA$19.99

$11.78 CA$16.48

21.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 CA$15.93

$15.77 CA$22.05

-27.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.37

$17.73 CA$24.81

-17.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.81

$3.50 CA$4.89

-1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.14

$1.45 CA$2.02

5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$4.04 CA$5.65

-20.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.04

$5.00 CA$6.99

-42.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.67

$1.77 CA$2.48

7.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 CA$2.52

$3.08 CA$4.31

-41.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.73 CA$3.82

-6.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$2.06 CA$2.89

-27.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 CA$16.35

$17.68 CA$24.74

-33.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 CA$14.85

$14.27 CA$19.96

-25.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.32

$3.25 CA$4.55

-27.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$3.25 CA$4.54

-6.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 CA$3.80

$1.47 CA$2.05

85.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 CA$104

$14.26 CA$19.95

420.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.47

$7.56 CA$10.57

-57.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$2.12 CA$2.97

-31.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.52 CA$46.90

$28.31 CA$39.61

18.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.22 CA$1.70

7.38%

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

$28.7K CA$40.1K

$28.4K CA$39.7K

1.06%

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

$20.4K CA$28.5K

$19.2K CA$26.9K

5.95%

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

$78.2 CA$109

$131 CA$183

-40.37%

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

$35.53 CA$49.70

$32.80 CA$45.89

8.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.37 CA$60.7

$75.9 CA$106

-42.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.84 CA$43.14

$60.4 CA$84.5

-48.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.99 CA$27.97

$3.52 CA$4.93

467.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 CA$16.20

$10.89 CA$15.23

6.34%

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

$552 CA$772

$159 CA$222

247.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K CA$23.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$77.5

$39.84 CA$55.7

39.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.30 CA$53.6

$33.85 CA$47.35

13.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 CA$138

$85.3 CA$119

16.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$146

$137 CA$191

-23.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CA$1,726

$1,122 CA$1,569

9.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,385

$873 CA$1,221

13.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 CA$3,037

$1,794 CA$2,510

20.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 CA$2,289

$1,374 CA$1,922

19.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,129 CA$7,176

$3,279 CA$4,586

56.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,724 CA$5,209

$2,001 CA$2,799

86.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,059 CA$4,279

$2,458 CA$3,439

24.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.58

-3.06%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 13, 2026

Last update for Charlottetown: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,234 in Montreal versus $1,122 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 24% 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 $71.0 in Montreal versus $62.0 in Charlottetown. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Montreal vs $422 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 Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,063 per month in Montreal and $2,996 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 $2,042 in Montreal and $1,997 in Charlottetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 421% 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 $1,997, than in Montreal at $2,042. 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 $1,997 versus $2,042 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.