Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Saguenay Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Saguenay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,065 per month in Montreal vs $1,320 in Saguenay, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,180 per month in Montreal vs $2,369 in Saguenay, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,296 per month in Montreal vs $3,418 in Saguenay, rent included.

Montreal costs about 56% more than Saguenay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Montreal sits 53% above the global median, while Saguenay is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.08 CA$22.03

$13.38 CA$18.34

20.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$44.87 CA$61.5

64.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$14.95

$11.13 CA$15.25

-1.98%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.78 CA$5.18

-2.91%

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

$2.06 CA$2.83

$1.52 CA$2.08

35.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.30 CA$1.78

10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 CA$8.50

$5.39 CA$7.39

15.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.82

$5.29 CA$7.25

21.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$2.17 CA$2.97

7.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.42

$2.98 CA$4.08

8.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$4.45 CA$6.09

-13.71%

Eggs

$3.32 CA$4.54

$2.53 CA$3.47

31.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.40

$12.77 CA$17.50

28.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.33

$8.89 CA$12.19

34.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.10 CA$20.69

$13.86 CA$18.99

8.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$4.15 CA$5.68

-11.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.32 CA$1.81

28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$4.13 CA$5.66

-0.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$4.10 CA$5.61

4.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.82

$1.84 CA$2.53

51.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.70

$1.65 CA$2.26

63.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.61 CA$3.58

-16.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$0.84 CA$1.15

111.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 CA$18.12

$12.16 CA$16.66

8.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.12

$11.04 CA$15.13

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$3.09 CA$4.23

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.71

$1.97 CA$2.71

74.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.84

$2.71 CA$3.72

3.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 CA$98.9

$56.1 CA$76.8

28.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 CA$5.03

$3.64 CA$4.99

0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$2.03 CA$2.78

-31.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.07 CA$46.68

$30.86 CA$42.28

10.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.66

$1.16 CA$1.59

4.31%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$25.2K CA$34.5K

0.61%

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

$21.9K CA$30.0K

$20.5K CA$28.1K

6.65%

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

$74.4 CA$102

$86.1 CA$118

-13.64%

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

$36.64 CA$50.2

$38.78 CA$53.1

-5.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.41 CA$59.5

$43.45 CA$59.5

-0.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.20 CA$59.2

$32.59 CA$44.65

32.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 CA$23.54

$14.01 CA$19.20

22.63%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.06

$9.55 CA$13.09

15.08%

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

$614 CA$842

$600 CA$822

2.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 CA$8,022

$6,285 CA$8,611

-6.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.8

$60.5 CA$82.9

3.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 CA$60.6

$52.7 CA$72.2

-16.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$97.1 CA$133

6.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$167

$129 CA$177

-5.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,631

$614 CA$841

93.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 CA$1,296

$295 CA$404

220.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 CA$2,791

$1,308 CA$1,792

55.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 CA$2,120

$1,089 CA$1,492

42.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,398 CA$7,395

$5,853 CA$8,019

-7.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 CA$5,499

$3,609 CA$4,944

11.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,128

$2,650 CA$3,630

13.72%

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Saguenay: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,190 in Montreal versus $614 in Saguenay. 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 14% 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 in Montreal versus $45 in Saguenay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $340 – making Saguenay 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 Saguenay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 56% more than Saguenay, 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 $3,097 per month in Montreal and $1,980 in Saguenay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $45.00 in Saguenay. 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 Saguenay, where all-in costs run around $1,320, than in Montreal at $2,065. In Saguenay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saguenay costs $1,320 versus $2,065 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 Saguenay. 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.