Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Fredericton Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Fredericton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Montreal versus $1,957 in Fredericton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $2,944 in Fredericton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $3,931 in Fredericton.

Living in Montreal is roughly 5% more expensive than Fredericton, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Fredericton 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.05

$14.75 CA$20.43

7.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$101

$55.4 CA$76.7

31.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.43

$10.83 CA$14.99

2.95%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.26

$3.93 CA$5.44

-3.31%

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

$2.18 CA$3.01

$2.59 CA$3.59

-15.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.05 CA$2.84

-28.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.48

$5.02 CA$6.94

21.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.38

$5.43 CA$7.51

24.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.22

$1.89 CA$2.61

23.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.69

$2.94 CA$4.07

15.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.16

$2.97 CA$4.11

25.59%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.68

$3.65 CA$5.06

-7.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.50

$11.68 CA$16.17

39.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$15.98

$9.45 CA$13.08

22.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.10

$8.77 CA$12.14

73.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$4.90 CA$6.79

-23.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$1.61 CA$2.22

5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.68

$3.97 CA$5.50

3.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.02

$5.39 CA$7.47

-19.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$1.87 CA$2.59

44.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$1.62 CA$2.25

61.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$2.52 CA$3.49

-10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.58 CA$2.19

9.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.43

$11.96 CA$16.56

11.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$14.93

$12.46 CA$17.25

-13.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.17

$3.28 CA$4.55

-8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.80

$4.83 CA$6.69

-28.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.26 CA$3.13

21.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$59.9 CA$83.0

21.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$6.04 CA$8.36

-39.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.70 CA$2.35

-14.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.30

$43.45 CA$60.2

-23.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.25 CA$1.74

-3.20%

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

$24.6K CA$34.1K

0.12%

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

$21.7K CA$30.0K

$20.2K CA$28.0K

7.15%

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

$76.0 CA$105

$133 CA$183

-42.63%

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

$35.72 CA$49.46

$56.4 CA$78.1

-36.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.4

$78.6 CA$109

-45.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.4

$41.17 CA$57.0

4.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

$26.90 CA$37.25

-35.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.35

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

$620 CA$858

$611 CA$846

1.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,078

$1,786 CA$2,473

226.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$51.8 CA$71.7

21.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.5

$40.90 CA$56.6

8.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$139

$82.8 CA$115

21.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$86.0 CA$119

38.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,677

$1,086 CA$1,503

11.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,329

$809 CA$1,120

18.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,818

$1,783 CA$2,469

14.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,201

$1,508 CA$2,088

5.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,173

$1,945 CA$2,693

166.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,446

$1,950 CA$2,701

101.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,098

$2,426 CA$3,359

22.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.44

-22.20%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Fredericton: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $1,086 in Fredericton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $73.0 in Montreal vs $55.0 in Fredericton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $349 per month, with Fredericton cheaper across the board.

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 Fredericton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fredericton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Montreal pays 22% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,211 in Montreal versus $1,086 in Fredericton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Fredericton runs roughly 21% less than in Montreal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $620 in Montreal versus $611 in Fredericton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,957 in Fredericton versus $2,063 in Montreal, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fredericton but tight or insufficient in Montreal. The gap between the two cities makes Fredericton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fredericton 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 Fredericton 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 Fredericton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.