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 $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $1,970 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $2,928 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $3,887 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent included.

Montreal costs about 4% more than Saint John, New Brunswick, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Montreal and Saint John, New Brunswick sit above the global median – Montreal by 50%, Saint John, New Brunswick by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.70

$19.25 CA$26.64

-7.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$60.6 CA$83.8

19.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$10.92 CA$15.12

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$3.16 CA$4.37

25.63%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$1.81 CA$2.51

14.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.10 CA$1.52

40.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$4.59 CA$6.35

39.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.09

$5.14 CA$7.11

41.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$2.19 CA$3.03

9.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$2.70 CA$3.74

18.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$3.22 CA$4.45

-4.66%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$3.69 CA$5.11

-0.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.78

$13.85 CA$19.17

-2.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.09

$10.81 CA$14.96

7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.33

$13.14 CA$18.18

6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$5.15 CA$7.13

-28.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.54 CA$2.12

1.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$4.31 CA$5.96

-20.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$4.06 CA$5.62

-25.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.13 CA$2.94

-7.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.24 CA$3.10

-18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$2.66 CA$3.67

-3.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.47 CA$2.04

-5.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$14.66 CA$20.29

-21.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.11

$9.98 CA$13.81

9.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$1.85 CA$2.56

22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$2.13 CA$2.94

41.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$2.19 CA$3.03

22.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$57.8 CA$80.0

30.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$2.95 CA$4.09

13.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.22 CA$1.68

22.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.63

$21.97 CA$30.41

53.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.21 CA$1.68

6.61%

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

$28.3K CA$39.1K

$25.4K CA$35.2K

11.23%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$19.4K CA$26.9K

2.73%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$124 CA$172

-35.35%

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

$34.23 CA$47.37

$41.81 CA$57.9

-18.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$65.4 CA$90.5

-36.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.46

$54.6 CA$75.5

-46.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.52

$35.76 CA$49.49

-44.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.20

$12.76 CA$17.65

-8.23%

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

$564 CA$781

$384 CA$531

47.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$11.5K CA$15.9K

46.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.3

$51.5 CA$71.2

15.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$35.92 CA$49.70

17.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$106 CA$147

0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$110 CA$153

0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,776

$1,011 CA$1,399

26.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,370

$841 CA$1,163

17.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,127

$1,637 CA$2,265

38.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,307

$1,335 CA$1,847

24.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,316

$2,072 CA$2,867

155.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,276

$2,192 CA$3,033

73.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,177

$2,491 CA$3,447

21.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.69

-5.97%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,011 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 21% 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 $72.0 in Montreal versus $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Montreal vs $357 in Saint John, New Brunswick – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Montreal costs about 4% more than Saint John, New Brunswick, 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 $3,084 per month in Montreal and $2,955 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 Saint John, New Brunswick, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Montreal – 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 $72.0 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint John, New Brunswick, where all-in costs run around $1,970, than in Montreal at $2,056. In Saint John, New Brunswick it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saint John, New Brunswick costs $1,970 versus $2,056 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 Saint John, New Brunswick. 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.