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 $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $1,686 in Prince Albert, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $2,490 in Prince Albert, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $3,294 in Prince Albert, rent included.

Montreal costs about 22% more than Prince Albert, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Montreal and Prince Albert sit above the global median – Montreal by 50%, Prince Albert by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.62

$17.84 CA$24.60

0.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$99.7

$74.4 CA$103

-2.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$9.37 CA$12.92

16.54%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.47

$3.82 CA$5.27

3.93%

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

$2.07 CA$2.86

$2.10 CA$2.89

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$1.86 CA$2.57

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.85

$4.30 CA$5.93

49.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.05

$6.43 CA$8.87

13.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.29

$1.27 CA$1.75

88.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.42

$1.43 CA$1.97

124.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.23

$2.58 CA$3.56

18.99%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.07

$3.46 CA$4.77

6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.72

$7.36 CA$10.15

84.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.03

$8.56 CA$11.81

35.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.27

$4.37 CA$6.02

219.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.08

$4.14 CA$5.71

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$1.47 CA$2.03

6.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.70

$4.38 CA$6.04

-22.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.17

$3.24 CA$4.46

-6.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.11 CA$2.92

-6.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.09 CA$2.89

-12.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.53

$2.79 CA$3.85

-8.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.46 CA$2.02

-4.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.85

$10.75 CA$14.82

6.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$14.31 CA$19.74

-23.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$2.80 CA$3.87

-19.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.15

$3.37 CA$4.64

-10.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.71

$1.83 CA$2.52

46.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$39.42 CA$54.4

91.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.62

$2.94 CA$4.05

13.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.07

$0.77 CA$1.06

94.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.47

$14.25 CA$19.65

136.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.11 CA$1.54

16.22%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

$22.3K CA$30.7K

27.00%

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

$20.0K CA$27.5K

$21.1K CA$29.1K

-5.39%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$53.2 CA$73.4

50.95%

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

$34.23 CA$47.21

$49.15 CA$67.8

-30.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.1

$62.3 CA$85.9

-33.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.32

$120 CA$166

-75.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.43

$17.84 CA$24.60

11.49%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.15

$9.34 CA$12.88

25.37%

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

$564 CA$778

$511 CA$704

10.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.2K

$14.5K CA$20.0K

16.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.1

$50.1 CA$69.2

18.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.1

$35.57 CA$49.05

18.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$85.1 CA$117

25.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$108 CA$149

2.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,770

$940 CA$1,296

36.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,365

$697 CA$961

42.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,116

$1,426 CA$1,967

58.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,299

$794 CA$1,095

110.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,291

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,258

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,163

$2,830 CA$3,902

6.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.8

-8.12%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Prince Albert: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal versus $940 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 $72.0 in Montreal versus $74.0 in Prince Albert. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Montreal vs $281 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 22% more than Prince Albert, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,084 per month in Montreal and $2,529 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 27% 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 $72.0 in Montreal and $74.0 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 $1,686, than in Montreal at $2,056. 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 $1,686 versus $2,056 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.