Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Saint-Jérôme Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Saint-Jérôme

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,338 in Saint-Jérôme, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $3,424 in Saint-Jérôme, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $4,511 in Saint-Jérôme, rent included.

Montreal is about 11% cheaper than Saint-Jérôme, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Montreal and Saint-Jérôme sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Saint-Jérôme by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$16.76 CA$23.59

-1.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$70.8 CA$99.7

4.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$11.08 CA$15.59

-1.26%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.73 CA$5.24

2.95%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$2.06 CA$2.91

3.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.66 CA$2.34

-12.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$5.56 CA$7.83

10.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$5.86 CA$8.24

14.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.10 CA$2.96

11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.70 CA$3.80

23.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$3.56 CA$5.02

5.06%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$3.55 CA$4.99

-4.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$11.32 CA$15.92

43.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$11.76 CA$16.54

0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$14.92 CA$20.99

4.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$4.14 CA$5.83

-10.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.35 CA$1.90

25.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.66 CA$5.15

12.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$3.70 CA$5.20

19.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.41 CA$3.39

15.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$2.58 CA$3.64

2.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$2.49 CA$3.51

-8.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$1.77 CA$2.48

0.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$13.72 CA$19.31

-4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$14.21 CA$19.99

-25.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$2.94 CA$4.14

1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$3.01 CA$4.23

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$2.38 CA$3.35

18.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$63.9 CA$89.9

13.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.13 CA$4.41

12.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.44 CA$2.02

0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$26.25 CA$36.93

30.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.13 CA$1.58

7.96%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$25.1K CA$35.3K

0.67%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$20.4K CA$28.7K

8.66%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$140 CA$197

-45.37%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$43.59 CA$61.3

-18.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$61.5 CA$86.5

-30.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$41.33 CA$58.2

4.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$11.47 CA$16.14

-3.31%

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

$625 CA$879

$743 CA$1,046

-15.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$11.7K CA$16.4K

-49.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$53.6 CA$75.4

17.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$40.30 CA$56.7

10.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$86.5 CA$122

18.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$106 CA$149

11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$1,288 CA$1,812

-6.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$1,174 CA$1,652

-17.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$2,048 CA$2,882

-0.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,823 CA$2,565

-13.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$2,740 CA$3,856

5.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.46

-22.45%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Saint-Jérôme: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,288 in Saint-Jérôme. 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 5% higher in Montreal, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal versus $71.0 in Saint-Jérôme. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $369 – making Saint-Jérôme 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 Saint-Jérôme: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint-Jérôme costs about 12% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $3,506 in Saint-Jérôme. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Saint-Jérôme – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal and $71.0 in Saint-Jérôme. 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 Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,085, than in Saint-Jérôme at $2,338. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint-Jérôme it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,338 in Saint-Jérôme. 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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint-Jérôme makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.