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: $2,085 in Montreal versus $1,899 in Fredericton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,174 in Montreal versus $2,913 in Fredericton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,262 in Montreal versus $3,926 in Fredericton.

Living in Montreal is roughly 10% more expensive than in Fredericton, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 56% above, Fredericton 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.16

$14.98 CA$21.00

10.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$54.3 CA$76.2

36.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.34

$11.16 CA$15.65

-1.97%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.39

$4.03 CA$5.65

-4.71%

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

$2.14 CA$2.99

$2.59 CA$3.63

-17.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$2.12 CA$2.97

-31.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.60

$5.13 CA$7.19

19.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.44

$5.42 CA$7.60

24.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.30

$1.96 CA$2.75

19.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.68

$2.88 CA$4.03

15.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

$2.98 CA$4.18

25.50%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.76

$3.62 CA$5.08

-6.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.85

$11.54 CA$16.18

41.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.56

$9.63 CA$13.51

22.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$21.93

$8.64 CA$12.12

81.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.18

$4.92 CA$6.89

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.59 CA$2.23

6.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.76

$3.95 CA$5.54

4.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.18

$5.64 CA$7.91

-21.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.91

$1.85 CA$2.59

50.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$1.56 CA$2.19

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$2.53 CA$3.55

-9.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$1.57 CA$2.21

13.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.47

$11.87 CA$16.64

10.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.92

$11.98 CA$16.79

-11.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.19

$3.25 CA$4.56

-8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.82

$4.68 CA$6.56

-26.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.94

$2.15 CA$3.01

30.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$58.2 CA$81.5

25.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.93

$5.76 CA$8.07

-38.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.77 CA$2.49

-18.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.08

$44.76 CA$62.8

-23.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.27 CA$1.78

-3.94%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

1.51%

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

$22.1K CA$31.0K

$20.1K CA$28.1K

10.36%

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

$76.5 CA$107

$136 CA$190

-43.58%

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

$35.60 CA$49.91

$56.5 CA$79.2

-37.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.2

$77.6 CA$109

-44.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$60.8

$41.11 CA$57.6

5.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.60

$26.18 CA$36.70

-35.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.55

$11.06 CA$15.51

0.27%

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

$625 CA$876

$596 CA$836

4.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,266

$1,758 CA$2,465

235.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.5

$52.7 CA$73.8

19.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.4

$41.44 CA$58.1

7.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$144

$81.3 CA$114

26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$85.7 CA$120

38.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,692

$1,110 CA$1,556

8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,353

$797 CA$1,117

21.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,848

$1,799 CA$2,522

12.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,211

$1,520 CA$2,131

3.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,129

$1,885 CA$2,642

169.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,304

$1,887 CA$2,646

100.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,051

$2,383 CA$3,341

21.25%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Fredericton: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,207 in Montreal and $1,110 in Fredericton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 21% 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: $74.0 in Montreal vs $54.0 in Fredericton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Montreal, 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: $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,110 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 25% less than in Montreal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $625 in Montreal versus $596 in Fredericton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,899 in Fredericton versus $2,085 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 10% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.