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: $2,042 in Montreal versus $1,978 in Fredericton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,163 in Montreal versus $3,003 in Fredericton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,284 in Montreal versus $4,027 in Fredericton.

Living in Montreal is roughly 3% more expensive than in Fredericton, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 49% above, Fredericton 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.22 CA$25.49

$15.99 CA$22.37

13.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$98.8

$64.6 CA$90.4

9.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 CA$15.23

$13.19 CA$18.45

-17.44%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.49

$4.20 CA$5.88

-6.67%

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

$1.97 CA$2.76

$2.74 CA$3.84

-28.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$2.12 CA$2.97

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 CA$9.12

$5.52 CA$7.72

18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 CA$10.13

$4.91 CA$6.87

47.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$1.75 CA$2.45

30.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 CA$4.35

$2.85 CA$3.99

9.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$2.60 CA$3.64

16.54%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$5.03

$3.96 CA$5.54

-9.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 CA$19.99

$11.20 CA$15.66

27.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 CA$15.93

$10.04 CA$14.04

13.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.37

$10.38 CA$14.52

40.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.81

$4.71 CA$6.59

-26.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.14

$1.60 CA$2.24

-4.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$4.90 CA$6.86

-34.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.04

$5.30 CA$7.41

-45.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.67

$2.51 CA$3.51

-23.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 CA$2.52

$1.59 CA$2.22

13.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.58

$2.24 CA$3.13

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$1.60 CA$2.25

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 CA$16.35

$11.56 CA$16.17

1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 CA$14.85

$12.44 CA$17.40

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.32

$3.16 CA$4.42

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$4.49 CA$6.29

-32.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 CA$3.80

$2.20 CA$3.08

23.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 CA$104

$58.1 CA$81.3

27.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.47

$2.86 CA$4.01

11.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.33 CA$1.86

9.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.52 CA$46.90

$21.34 CA$29.85

57.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.20 CA$1.68

9.17%

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

$28.7K CA$40.1K

$28.0K CA$39.2K

2.38%

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

$20.4K CA$28.5K

$19.0K CA$26.5K

7.41%

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

$78.2 CA$109

$127 CA$178

-38.50%

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

$35.53 CA$49.70

$73.0 CA$102

-51.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.37 CA$60.7

$72.7 CA$102

-40.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.84 CA$43.14

$41.00 CA$57.4

-24.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.99 CA$27.97

$25.49 CA$35.65

-21.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 CA$16.20

$10.62 CA$14.86

9.04%

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

$552 CA$772

$599 CA$838

-7.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K CA$23.1K

$1,747 CA$2,443

843.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$77.5

$51.2 CA$71.6

8.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.30 CA$53.6

$40.72 CA$57.0

-5.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 CA$138

$78.2 CA$109

26.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$146

$83.7 CA$117

24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CA$1,726

$1,132 CA$1,583

9.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,385

$881 CA$1,232

12.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 CA$3,037

$1,869 CA$2,615

16.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 CA$2,289

$1,477 CA$2,066

10.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,129 CA$7,176

$1,905 CA$2,665

169.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,724 CA$5,209

$1,896 CA$2,653

96.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,059 CA$4,279

$2,404 CA$3,364

27.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.77

-6.92%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 13, 2026

Last update for Fredericton: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,234 in Montreal and $1,132 in Fredericton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreal pays 27% 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: $71.0 in Montreal vs $65.0 in Fredericton. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $355, 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 Fredericton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fredericton is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% 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: $1,234 in Montreal versus $1,132 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 28% less than in Montreal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $552 in Montreal versus $599 in Fredericton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,978 in Fredericton versus $2,042 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 3% less than in Montreal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.