Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Fort St John, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Fort St John, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,009 in Fort St John, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,112 in Montreal versus $3,062 in Fort St John, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,167 in Montreal versus $4,115 in Fort St John, BC.

Living in Montreal is roughly 2% more expensive than in Fort St John, BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 50% above, Fort St John, BC 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.72

$17.82 CA$24.68

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$43.75 CA$60.6

65.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.12

$9.53 CA$13.19

14.59%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$3.88 CA$5.37

2.32%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$1.81 CA$2.51

14.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.25 CA$1.73

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$6.35 CA$8.80

0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.10

$4.56 CA$6.32

59.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$3.47 CA$4.81

-31.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$2.94 CA$4.07

9.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$3.82 CA$5.29

-19.63%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$4.03 CA$5.58

-8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.79

$12.07 CA$16.71

12.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.10

$13.58 CA$18.80

-14.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.34

$19.00 CA$26.30

-26.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$6.02 CA$8.34

-38.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$0.68 CA$0.94

129.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$3.76 CA$5.21

-9.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$3.63 CA$5.03

-16.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.75

$2.78 CA$3.85

-28.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$2.82 CA$3.90

-35.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.08 CA$2.88

23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$2.47 CA$3.42

-43.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.91

$14.71 CA$20.37

-21.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.12

$21.48 CA$29.74

-49.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$5.15 CA$7.13

-56.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$5.73 CA$7.93

-47.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$1.43 CA$1.97

88.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$28.62 CA$39.63

163.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.66

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.28 CA$1.78

0.78%

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

$28.3K CA$39.2K

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

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

$80.4 CA$111

$128 CA$177

-37.23%

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

$34.23 CA$47.40

$100 CA$139

-65.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$60.4 CA$83.6

-31.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.49

$13.88 CA$19.21

110.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.54

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.21

$10.99 CA$15.22

6.55%

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

$564 CA$781

$729 CA$1,009

-22.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.4

$71.5 CA$99.0

-16.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$47.09 CA$65.2

-10.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$144 CA$199

-23.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,778

$746 CA$1,033

72.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,371

$730 CA$1,011

35.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,129

$1,580 CA$2,188

43.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,308

$1,422 CA$1,969

17.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,321

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,279

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,180

$3,100 CA$4,293

-2.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

6.1

-27.70%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Montreal and $746 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Montreal vs $44.00 in Fort St John, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $456, 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

Montreal vs Fort St John, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort St John, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Fort St John, BC. 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: $1,284 in Montreal versus $746 in Fort St John, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort St John, BC – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $72.0 in Montreal. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,056 per month in Montreal versus $2,009 in Fort St John, BC – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,009 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,056 in Montreal, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fort St John, BC but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Fort St John, BC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fort St John, BC 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, Montreal and Fort St John, BC 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 Fort St John, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.