Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and St. Albert, AB Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and St. Albert, AB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $1,214 in St. Albert, AB, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $2,538 in St. Albert, AB, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $3,862 in St. Albert, AB, rent included.

Montreal costs about 69% more than St. Albert, AB, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Montreal sits 50% above the global median, while St. Albert, AB is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.62

$20.59 CA$28.40

-13.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$99.7

$70.6 CA$97.3

2.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$10.06 CA$13.88

8.55%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.47

$3.93 CA$5.41

1.02%

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

$2.07 CA$2.86

$2.15 CA$2.97

-3.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$1.93 CA$2.66

-19.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.85

$5.13 CA$7.08

24.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.05

$5.62 CA$7.74

29.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.29

$1.72 CA$2.37

38.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.42

$2.22 CA$3.07

44.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.23

$3.16 CA$4.36

-2.85%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.07

$3.60 CA$4.96

2.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.72

$11.58 CA$15.97

17.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.03

$11.61 CA$16.01

0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.27

$18.33 CA$25.27

-23.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.08

$4.50 CA$6.21

-18.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$1.35 CA$1.86

15.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.70

$4.20 CA$5.80

-18.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.17

$3.96 CA$5.46

-23.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.68 CA$3.69

-26.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.85 CA$3.93

-36.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.53

$2.65 CA$3.66

-3.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.55 CA$2.14

-10.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.85

$14.46 CA$19.95

-20.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$12.18 CA$16.79

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$2.64 CA$3.63

-14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.15

$2.88 CA$3.98

4.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.71

$2.20 CA$3.04

22.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$63.2 CA$87.1

19.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.62

$2.90 CA$4.00

15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.07

$1.35 CA$1.86

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.47

$21.55 CA$29.71

56.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.19 CA$1.63

8.40%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

$28.1K CA$38.7K

0.72%

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

$20.0K CA$27.5K

-0.02%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$184 CA$254

-56.35%

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

$34.23 CA$47.21

$38.58 CA$53.2

-11.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.1

$56.3 CA$77.6

-26.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.32

$41.61 CA$57.4

-29.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.15

$13.34 CA$18.40

-12.22%

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

$564 CA$778

$783 CA$1,079

-27.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.2K

$9,897 CA$13.6K

70.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.1

$56.8 CA$78.3

4.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.1

$39.09 CA$53.9

7.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$86.7 CA$120

23.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$114 CA$157

-2.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,770

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,365

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,116

$1,348 CA$1,858

67.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,299

$1,156 CA$1,595

44.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,291

$2,564 CA$3,536

106.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,258

$2,578 CA$3,556

47.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,163

$3,355 CA$4,627

-10.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

4.4

0.23%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for St. Albert, AB: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 11% higher in St. Albert, AB, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Montreal versus $71.0 in St. Albert, AB. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Montreal vs $368 in St. Albert, AB – 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 St. Albert, AB: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 69% more than St. Albert, AB, 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 $1,821 in St. Albert, AB. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $71.0 in St. Albert, AB. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in St. Albert, AB, where all-in costs run around $1,214, than in Montreal at $2,056. In St. Albert, AB it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. St. Albert, AB costs $1,214 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 St. Albert, AB. 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.