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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,108 per month in Montreal vs $1,639 in Joliette, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,226 per month in Montreal vs $2,554 in Joliette, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,344 per month in Montreal vs $3,469 in Joliette, rent included.

Montreal costs about 29% more than Joliette, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Montreal and Joliette sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Joliette by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.73

$17.90 CA$24.82

-0.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$54.9 CA$76.2

33.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$15.00

$11.35 CA$15.75

-4.76%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.44

$2.48 CA$3.44

58.06%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$2.09 CA$2.89

-2.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.49 CA$2.07

2.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 CA$9.14

$4.35 CA$6.04

51.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 CA$9.90

$5.61 CA$7.78

27.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.01 CA$2.79

17.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$2.49 CA$3.46

29.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$4.08 CA$5.66

-27.70%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.12

$2.56 CA$3.55

44.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.93

$8.84 CA$12.26

54.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.56

$10.82 CA$15.00

10.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.52

$10.88 CA$15.08

29.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$4.30 CA$5.97

-16.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.54 CA$2.14

0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$3.75 CA$5.20

-12.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$4.16 CA$5.77

-26.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$2.88 CA$4.00

-30.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.64

$2.96 CA$4.11

-35.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$1.71 CA$2.37

54.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.54 CA$2.14

-9.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 CA$16.36

$14.92 CA$20.69

-20.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 CA$14.98

$11.34 CA$15.73

-4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$2.92 CA$4.05

-18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$3.37 CA$4.67

-13.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.38 CA$3.30

15.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 CA$107

$62.7 CA$86.9

23.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$2.90 CA$4.02

14.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.98 CA$45.74

$35.66 CA$49.46

-7.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.82

$0.94 CA$1.31

39.36%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$28.5K CA$39.5K

0.96%

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

$20.4K CA$28.4K

$21.1K CA$29.3K

-3.22%

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

$79.9 CA$111

$101 CA$140

-20.92%

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

$34.79 CA$48.25

$32.69 CA$45.34

6.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.55 CA$59.0

$46.26 CA$64.2

-8.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.50

$40.98 CA$56.8

-28.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 CA$28.20

$18.60 CA$25.79

9.30%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 CA$15.93

$11.20 CA$15.54

2.50%

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

$565 CA$784

$694 CA$962

-18.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.0K

$9,651 CA$13.4K

71.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.5

$51.0 CA$70.8

18.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 CA$58.1

$40.04 CA$55.5

4.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$85.9 CA$119

21.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$106 CA$147

5.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,795

$657 CA$912

96.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CA$1,407

$612 CA$848

65.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CA$3,149

$1,313 CA$1,821

72.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,334

$1,096 CA$1,520

53.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,156 CA$7,151

$4,289 CA$5,949

20.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,842 CA$5,328

$3,708 CA$5,142

3.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,205

$2,801 CA$3,885

8.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

4.45

-0.22%

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

Last update for Montreal: September 6, 2026

Last update for Joliette: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,294 in Montreal versus $657 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $55.0 in Joliette. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $335 – 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 29%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,163 per month in Montreal and $2,458 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 $565 per month in Montreal and $694 in Joliette. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $1,639, than in Montreal at $2,108. 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.