Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Sherbrooke Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Sherbrooke

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $1,701 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $2,600 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $3,499 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

Montreal costs about 21% more than Sherbrooke, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Montreal and Sherbrooke sit above the global median – Montreal by 54%, Sherbrooke by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.12

$18.55 CA$25.77

-14.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$70.7 CA$98.2

3.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.49

$11.21 CA$15.58

-0.54%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.28

$3.34 CA$4.64

13.77%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$1.96 CA$2.72

11.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.86 CA$2.58

-21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$6.06 CA$8.42

0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.41

$5.00 CA$6.95

35.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.23

$2.77 CA$3.85

-15.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.71

$2.92 CA$4.06

16.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.18

$3.85 CA$5.34

-3.12%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$3.26 CA$4.53

3.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.58

$12.37 CA$17.19

31.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.04

$9.95 CA$13.83

15.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.17

$16.45 CA$22.85

-7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$4.97 CA$6.90

-24.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.49 CA$2.08

14.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.70

$3.97 CA$5.52

3.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$3.28 CA$4.56

32.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$1.80 CA$2.50

50.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.63

$1.95 CA$2.71

34.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$1.89 CA$2.62

19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.81 CA$2.51

-4.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.49

$13.12 CA$18.22

1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$14.98

$13.25 CA$18.42

-18.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$3.66 CA$5.08

-17.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.81

$3.60 CA$5.01

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$2.82 CA$3.91

-2.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$62.0 CA$86.1

17.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.78 CA$5.25

-3.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$0.81 CA$1.12

80.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.46

$33.74 CA$46.88

-0.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.18 CA$1.63

2.54%

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

$24.6K CA$34.2K

$25.0K CA$34.8K

-1.48%

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

$21.7K CA$30.1K

$20.3K CA$28.3K

6.64%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$72.4 CA$101

5.07%

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

$35.72 CA$49.63

$42.76 CA$59.4

-16.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$52.4 CA$72.8

-18.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.6

$29.12 CA$40.47

47.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.94

$7.10 CA$9.86

142.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.40

$10.51 CA$14.60

5.52%

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

$620 CA$861

$920 CA$1,278

-32.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,106

$9,790 CA$13.6K

-40.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$63.2 CA$87.8

-0.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.7

$30.63 CA$42.55

44.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$66.6 CA$92.5

51.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$106 CA$147

12.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,683

$871 CA$1,211

39.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,333

$655 CA$910

46.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,828

$1,236 CA$1,718

64.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,208

$992 CA$1,378

60.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,198

$2,244 CA$3,118

130.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,465

$1,757 CA$2,442

123.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,113

$2,811 CA$3,906

5.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.32

-20.73%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sherbrooke: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal versus $871 in Sherbrooke. 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 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $71.0 in Sherbrooke. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $378 – making Sherbrooke 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 Sherbrooke: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 21% more than Sherbrooke, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,094 per month in Montreal and $2,551 in Sherbrooke. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $73.0 in Montreal and $71.0 in Sherbrooke. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sherbrooke, where all-in costs run around $1,701, than in Montreal at $2,063. In Sherbrooke it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sherbrooke costs $1,701 versus $2,063 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 Sherbrooke. 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.