Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Saint John Island

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,067 a month against $6,163 in Saint John Island, rent and utilities included – about $49,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index
293

Cost of Living Index in Saint John Island
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Saint John Island Living Index

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Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,067

/mo nomad

Saint John Island

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$6,163

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreal and in Saint John Island

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montreal and in Saint John Island actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,067 per month in Montreal vs $6,163 in Saint John Island, rent included.

Montreal $2,067
Saint John Island $6,163

A couple spends around $3,179 per month in Montreal vs $8,359 in Saint John Island, rent included.

Montreal $3,179
Saint John Island $8,359

A family of three spends $4,291 per month in Montreal vs $10.6K in Saint John Island, rent included.

Montreal $4,291
Saint John Island $10.6K

Montreal is about 66% cheaper than Saint John Island, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Montreal and Saint John Island sit above the global median – Montreal by 53%, Saint John Island by 356%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.89 CA$26.57

$69.6 $69.6

-72.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 CA$102

$152 $152

-52.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 CA$15.18

$15.22 $15.22

-29.11%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.60

$8.97 $8.97

-55.63%

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

$2.02 CA$2.84

$3.52 $3.52

-42.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.29

$3.42 $3.42

-52.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 CA$8.89

$4.95 $4.95

27.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 CA$9.93

$7.15 $7.15

-1.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.28

$3.13 $3.13

-25.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CA$4.57

$7.88 $7.88

-58.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.59

$12.02 $12.02

-72.88%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.89

$12.04 $12.04

-71.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.31

$32.35 $32.35

-57.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.14

$33.61 $33.61

-65.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 CA$20.05

$23.89 $23.89

-40.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$22.07 $22.07

-84.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CA$2.05

$3.94 $3.94

-62.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.80

$17.98 $17.98

-81.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$11.96 $11.96

-73.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.72

$7.55 $7.55

-74.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$7.91 $7.91

-77.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.54

$5.07 $5.07

-50.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.22

$3.60 $3.60

-56.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.51 CA$16.18

$8.89 $8.89

29.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 CA$14.87

$22.65 $22.65

-53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CA$3.30

$4.52 $4.52

-48.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$6.15 $6.15

-52.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.68

$7.13 $7.13

-63.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.5 CA$110

$152 $152

-48.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.46

$29.91 $29.91

-89.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.10

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.49 CA$47.10

$49.06 $49.06

-31.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.55 $1.55

-12.26%

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

$28.0K CA$39.4K

$46.6K $46.6K

-39.90%

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

$21.1K CA$29.7K

$52.3K $52.3K

-59.58%

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

$77.6 CA$109

$306 $306

-74.62%

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

$35.63 CA$50.1

$101 $101

-64.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.73 CA$61.5

$104 $104

-58.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.07 CA$42.29

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.97 CA$28.08

Cinema Ticket

$11.27 CA$15.85

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

$522 CA$734

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K CA$25.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$82.9

$79.0 $79.0

-25.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.01 CA$54.9

$50.9 $50.9

-23.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 CA$140

$84.8 $84.8

17.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$154

$99.2 $99.2

10.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 CA$1,826

$3,925 $3,925

-66.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 CA$1,365

$3,534 $3,534

-72.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 CA$3,267

$4,921 $4,921

-52.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 CA$2,376

$4,464 $4,464

-62.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,004 CA$7,037

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,736 CA$5,255

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,943 CA$4,139

$4,523 $4,523

-34.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

-35.57%

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

Last update for Montreal: November 3, 2026

Last update for Saint John Island: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montreal

$970 47%

Saint John Island

$3.5K 57.3% 264% $2.6K

Groceries & Markets

Montreal

$357 17.3%

Saint John Island

$991 16.1% 177% $634

Eating Out

Montreal

$292 14.1%

Saint John Island

$777 12.6% 166% $485

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreal

$157 7.6%

Saint John Island

$510 8.3% 225% $354

Clothing & Footwear

Montreal

$138 6.7%

Saint John Island

$141 2.3% 2.1% $2.9

Getting Around

Montreal

$100 4.8%

Saint John Island

$210 * 3.4% 111% $111

Sport & Entertainment

Montreal

$53 2.6%

Saint John Island

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,298 in Montreal versus $3,925 in Saint John Island. 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 54% higher in Saint John Island, 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 in Montreal versus $152 in Saint John Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $991 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Montreal

🇻🇮 Saint John Island

🕒 Local time

14:46 2:46 PM

15:46 3:46 PM

1 h ahead of Montreal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,762,949

4,170

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.711 USD

1 CAD = 0.636 EUR

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.636 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montreal Saint John Island 3,130 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Montreal
Saint John Island

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 John Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John Island costs about 198% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,100 per month in Montreal and $9,245 in Saint John Island. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,298 there versus $3,925 in Saint John Island.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 177% more in Saint John Island, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,067 in Montreal and $6,163 in Saint John Island. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,067 in Montreal to $6,163 in Saint John Island. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint John Island makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.