Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Quebec City Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Quebec City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $1,992 in Quebec City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $2,880 in Quebec City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $3,769 in Quebec City, rent included.

Montreal costs about 5% more than Quebec City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Quebec City sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Quebec City by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.16

$16.88 CA$23.67

-2.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$65.8 CA$92.2

12.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.34

$11.01 CA$15.44

-0.64%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.39

$3.78 CA$5.30

1.59%

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

$2.14 CA$2.99

$2.05 CA$2.87

4.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.45 CA$2.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.60

$6.05 CA$8.49

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.44

$6.17 CA$8.65

9.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.30

$2.12 CA$2.97

10.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.68

$3.25 CA$4.56

2.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

$4.48 CA$6.28

-16.52%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.76

$3.06 CA$4.29

10.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.85

$12.95 CA$18.16

25.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.56

$10.90 CA$15.28

8.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$21.93

$14.15 CA$19.84

10.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.18

$3.94 CA$5.53

-6.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.68 CA$2.36

1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.76

$4.23 CA$5.93

-2.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.18

$4.10 CA$5.75

7.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.91

$1.88 CA$2.64

48.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$2.43 CA$3.41

8.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$2.69 CA$3.77

-14.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$1.59 CA$2.24

11.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.47

$12.92 CA$18.12

1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.92

$11.46 CA$16.07

-7.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.19

$3.18 CA$4.46

-5.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.82

$3.94 CA$5.53

-12.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.94

$2.68 CA$3.76

4.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$68.4 CA$95.9

6.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.93

$3.79 CA$5.31

-7.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$2.27 CA$3.18

-36.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.08

$30.73 CA$43.08

11.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.20 CA$1.69

1.67%

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

$25.3K CA$35.4K

$24.8K CA$34.8K

1.78%

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

$22.1K CA$31.0K

$20.0K CA$28.0K

10.73%

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

$76.5 CA$107

$87.5 CA$123

-12.56%

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

$35.60 CA$49.91

$38.52 CA$54.0

-7.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.2

$44.83 CA$62.8

-4.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$60.8

$42.10 CA$59.0

3.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.60

$14.71 CA$20.62

14.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.55

$11.00 CA$15.42

0.82%

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

$625 CA$876

$821 CA$1,151

-23.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,266

$6,164 CA$8,641

-4.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.5

$60.5 CA$84.8

4.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.4

$53.9 CA$75.6

-17.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$144

$113 CA$158

-9.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$127 CA$178

-6.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,692

$900 CA$1,261

34.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,353

$823 CA$1,154

17.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,848

$1,496 CA$2,098

35.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,211

$1,193 CA$1,673

32.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,129

$5,673 CA$7,954

-10.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,304

$2,809 CA$3,938

34.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,051

$2,803 CA$3,929

3.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.87

-27.07%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Quebec City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $900 in Quebec City. 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 3% 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 $66.0 in Quebec City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $374 – making Quebec City 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 Quebec City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 5% more than Quebec City, 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 $3,127 per month in Montreal and $2,987 in Quebec City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $74.0 in Montreal and $66.0 in Quebec City. 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 Quebec City, where all-in costs run around $1,992, than in Montreal at $2,085. In Quebec City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Quebec City costs $1,992 versus $2,085 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 Quebec City. 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.