Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Joliette Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Joliette

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $1,745 in Joliette, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $2,663 in Joliette, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $3,581 in Joliette, rent included.

Montreal costs about 18% more than Joliette, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Joliette sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, Joliette by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$18.09 CA$25.16

-12.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$56.3 CA$78.3

29.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$11.13 CA$15.48

0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$2.56 CA$3.56

48.44%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.16 CA$3.00

0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.70 CA$2.37

-14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$4.39 CA$6.11

39.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$6.66 CA$9.26

1.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.29 CA$3.18

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$2.62 CA$3.64

29.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$3.19 CA$4.43

16.93%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$2.65 CA$3.68

27.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$11.26 CA$15.66

44.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$13.00 CA$18.08

-11.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$16.06 CA$22.34

-5.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$4.16 CA$5.79

-10.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.34 CA$1.87

26.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$3.50 CA$4.87

17.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$3.70 CA$5.14

17.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.56 CA$3.56

5.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$3.15 CA$4.37

-16.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$1.64 CA$2.29

37.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.52 CA$2.11

13.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$14.14 CA$19.66

-5.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$11.50 CA$15.99

-6.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$2.52 CA$3.50

19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$3.15 CA$4.38

9.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.43 CA$3.39

12.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$63.5 CA$88.4

14.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$2.81 CA$3.91

29.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.49 CA$2.08

-2.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$20.26 CA$28.17

65.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$0.96 CA$1.33

26.04%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$25.3K CA$35.2K

-2.65%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$22.3K CA$31.0K

-2.82%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$164 CA$228

-53.63%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$43.84 CA$61.0

-18.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$51.9 CA$72.1

-17.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$42.53 CA$59.2

0.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$11.15 CA$15.51

-0.54%

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

$620 CA$862

$894 CA$1,244

-30.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$16.0K CA$22.3K

-63.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$52.6 CA$73.1

19.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$40.97 CA$57.0

8.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$88.8 CA$123

13.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$95.9 CA$133

24.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$670 CA$932

80.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$626 CA$870

53.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$1,346 CA$1,872

51.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$1,101 CA$1,531

44.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$4,624 CA$6,431

12.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$4,348 CA$6,046

-9.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$2,747 CA$3,820

7.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.48

-8.58%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Joliette: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal versus $670 in Joliette. 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 8% 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $56.0 in Joliette. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $361 – making Joliette the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Joliette: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,094 per month in Montreal and $2,617 in Joliette. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Joliette, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $620 per month in Montreal and $894 in Joliette. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Joliette, where all-in costs run around $1,745, than in Montreal at $2,063. In Joliette it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Joliette – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Joliette. 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.