Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Saint John, New Brunswick Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Saint John, New Brunswick

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,095 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $3,020 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $3,946 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent included.

Montreal and Saint John, New Brunswick have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Montreal and Saint John, New Brunswick sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, Saint John, New Brunswick by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$22.02 CA$30.98

-24.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$60.6 CA$85.3

22.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$10.37 CA$14.58

5.50%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.15 CA$4.43

21.90%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$1.68 CA$2.37

27.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.17 CA$1.65

23.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$4.34 CA$6.11

41.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$5.04 CA$7.10

33.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.01 CA$2.83

16.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.94 CA$4.13

13.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$1.83 CA$2.57

104.37%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$3.64 CA$5.12

-6.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$11.57 CA$16.28

40.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$8.80 CA$12.39

34.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$16.27 CA$22.90

-3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$3.95 CA$5.56

-6.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.45 CA$2.04

17.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.64 CA$5.12

12.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$4.37 CA$6.14

0.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.06 CA$2.89

35.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$2.14 CA$3.01

23.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$2.68 CA$3.77

-14.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$1.49 CA$2.10

19.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$18.33 CA$25.79

-28.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$9.62 CA$13.54

10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$3.39 CA$4.77

-11.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$3.26 CA$4.59

5.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$2.15 CA$3.02

30.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$60.2 CA$84.7

20.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.63 CA$5.11

-3.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.11 CA$1.57

30.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$29.56 CA$41.59

16.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.21 CA$1.70

0.83%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$24.7K CA$34.7K

2.33%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$20.1K CA$28.2K

10.39%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$129 CA$181

-40.64%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$37.71 CA$53.1

-5.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$63.8 CA$89.8

-32.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$42.19 CA$59.4

2.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$36.57 CA$51.5

-53.98%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$11.11 CA$15.63

-0.18%

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

$625 CA$879

$164 CA$231

280.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$11.6K CA$16.4K

-49.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$41.85 CA$58.9

50.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$43.13 CA$60.7

3.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$86.0 CA$121

19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$120 CA$168

-1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$1,032 CA$1,452

16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$962 CA$1,353

0.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$1,643 CA$2,311

23.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,409 CA$1,982

11.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$2,016 CA$2,837

152.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

$2,089 CA$2,939

81.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$2,501 CA$3,519

15.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.18

-18.93%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,032 in Saint John, New Brunswick. 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 16% higher in Montreal. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal versus $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $346 – making Saint John, New Brunswick 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 John, New Brunswick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,127 per month in Montreal and $3,142 in Saint John, New Brunswick. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Montreal and $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,085, than in Saint John, New Brunswick at $2,095. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint John, New Brunswick it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,095 in Saint John, New Brunswick. 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 John, New Brunswick makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.