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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $1,653 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $2,630 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $3,607 in Sherbrooke, rent included.

Montreal costs about 24% more than Sherbrooke, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Montreal and Sherbrooke sit above the global median – Montreal by 50%, Sherbrooke by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.62

$17.96 CA$24.76

-0.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$99.7

$68.5 CA$94.5

5.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$10.81 CA$14.90

1.02%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.47

$3.41 CA$4.71

16.42%

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

$2.07 CA$2.86

$1.90 CA$2.62

8.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$1.78 CA$2.45

-12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.85

$5.79 CA$7.98

10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.05

$5.09 CA$7.02

43.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.29

$2.79 CA$3.85

-14.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.42

$2.87 CA$3.96

11.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.23

$3.62 CA$4.99

-15.19%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.07

$3.19 CA$4.40

15.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.72

$12.03 CA$16.60

12.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.03

$10.98 CA$15.14

5.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.27

$16.35 CA$22.55

-14.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.08

$4.18 CA$5.77

-11.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$1.52 CA$2.10

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.70

$3.86 CA$5.32

-11.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.17

$3.39 CA$4.67

-10.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$1.70 CA$2.35

16.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.77 CA$3.82

-34.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.53

$1.82 CA$2.51

40.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.85 CA$2.55

-24.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.85

$12.88 CA$17.76

-10.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$12.19 CA$16.80

-10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$3.99 CA$5.50

-43.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.15

$3.82 CA$5.26

-21.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.71

$2.68 CA$3.70

0.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$62.6 CA$86.3

20.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.62

$3.64 CA$5.03

-7.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.07

$0.89 CA$1.23

68.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.47

$32.77 CA$45.19

2.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.25 CA$1.72

3.20%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

$28.1K CA$38.7K

0.70%

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

$20.0K CA$27.5K

$19.1K CA$26.3K

4.74%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$72.5 CA$100.0

10.84%

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

$34.23 CA$47.21

$44.39 CA$61.2

-22.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.1

$48.99 CA$67.6

-15.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.32

$29.20 CA$40.26

0.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.43

$6.81 CA$9.39

192.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.15

$10.33 CA$14.24

13.36%

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

$564 CA$778

$899 CA$1,239

-37.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.2K

$9,597 CA$13.2K

75.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.1

$65.0 CA$89.7

-8.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.1

$31.66 CA$43.66

33.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$62.9 CA$86.8

70.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$127 CA$175

-12.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,770

$833 CA$1,149

54.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,365

$580 CA$800

70.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,116

$1,285 CA$1,772

75.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,299

$1,020 CA$1,406

63.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,291

$2,248 CA$3,101

135.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,258

$1,795 CA$2,475

112.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,163

$2,783 CA$3,838

8.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.76

-7.35%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sherbrooke: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal versus $833 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 8% 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 $68.0 in Sherbrooke. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Montreal vs $378 in Sherbrooke – 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 Sherbrooke: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 24% more than Sherbrooke, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,479 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $68.0 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 $1,653, than in Montreal at $2,056. 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 $1,653 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 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.