Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Prince Albert Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Prince Albert

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $1,703 in Prince Albert, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $2,539 in Prince Albert, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $3,375 in Prince Albert, rent included.

Montreal costs about 21% more than Prince Albert, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Prince Albert sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, Prince Albert by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.19

$22.25 CA$31.00

-28.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$89.8 CA$125

-18.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.53

$10.46 CA$14.57

6.60%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.30

$3.70 CA$5.15

2.70%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.44 CA$3.40

-10.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$2.01 CA$2.80

-27.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.53

$6.06 CA$8.45

0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.44

$7.28 CA$10.15

-6.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$1.28 CA$1.79

82.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.73

$1.49 CA$2.08

127.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.20

$2.60 CA$3.63

43.46%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.71

$3.58 CA$4.99

-5.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.65

$7.53 CA$10.49

115.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.08

$8.72 CA$12.16

32.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.23

$4.36 CA$6.08

249.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.21

$4.43 CA$6.18

-15.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.69 CA$2.36

0.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.72

$4.92 CA$6.86

-16.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.06

$3.27 CA$4.56

33.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.77

$2.26 CA$3.14

19.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.25 CA$3.14

16.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.14

$2.74 CA$3.82

-17.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$1.27 CA$1.77

36.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.55

$11.21 CA$15.63

18.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.03

$14.00 CA$19.52

-23.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.20

$3.30 CA$4.60

-8.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.83

$3.32 CA$4.63

4.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.82

$1.82 CA$2.54

50.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$39.82 CA$55.5

82.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.06

$2.62 CA$3.66

38.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.22 CA$1.70

19.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.61

$14.82 CA$20.66

125.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.10 CA$1.53

10.00%

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

$24.6K CA$34.4K

$17.2K CA$23.9K

43.45%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$20.5K CA$28.6K

5.84%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$54.3 CA$75.6

40.08%

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

$35.72 CA$49.79

$51.6 CA$71.9

-30.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.7

$71.2 CA$99.2

-39.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.8

$41.30 CA$57.6

3.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$24.02

$18.27 CA$25.47

-5.69%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.45

$9.41 CA$13.11

17.85%

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

$620 CA$863

$516 CA$719

20.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,131

$14.9K CA$20.8K

-60.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.3

$51.9 CA$72.3

20.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.9

$36.44 CA$50.8

21.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$92.8 CA$129

8.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$115 CA$160

3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,688

$945 CA$1,317

28.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,337

$695 CA$969

38.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,837

$1,451 CA$2,023

40.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,215

$806 CA$1,124

97.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,220

$3,982 CA$5,550

30.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,482

$3,815 CA$5,316

3.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,125

$2,764 CA$3,853

7.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.65

-24.66%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Prince Albert: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal versus $945 in Prince Albert. 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 7% 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 $90.0 in Prince Albert. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Montreal vs $289 in Prince Albert – so Prince Albert wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Prince Albert: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 21% more than Prince Albert, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,094 per month in Montreal and $2,554 in Prince Albert. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 36% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal and $90.0 in Prince Albert. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Prince Albert, where all-in costs run around $1,703, than in Montreal at $2,063. In Prince Albert it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Prince Albert costs $1,703 versus $2,063 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Prince Albert. 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.