Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $2,118 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $3,111 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $4,103 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, rent included.

Montreal is about 2% cheaper than St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Montreal and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador sit above the global median – Montreal by 56%, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$18.30 CA$25.75

-9.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$72.8 CA$102

1.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$11.61 CA$16.33

-5.77%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.30 CA$4.65

16.36%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$2.51 CA$3.53

-14.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.80 CA$2.53

-19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$5.04 CA$7.09

21.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$5.18 CA$7.29

29.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$3.02 CA$4.25

-22.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$3.12 CA$4.39

7.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$4.44 CA$6.24

-15.77%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$3.82 CA$5.37

-11.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$9.05 CA$12.74

80.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$12.95 CA$18.22

-8.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$11.34 CA$15.96

37.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$5.52 CA$7.77

-33.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$2.29 CA$3.23

-25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$5.50 CA$7.74

-25.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$3.15 CA$4.43

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.11 CA$2.97

32.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$2.66 CA$3.74

-0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$3.37 CA$4.74

-32.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$2.24 CA$3.15

-20.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$14.48 CA$20.37

-9.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$14.08 CA$19.81

-24.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$4.29 CA$6.04

-30.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$4.79 CA$6.73

-28.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$1.89 CA$2.66

48.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$56.4 CA$79.4

29.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.33 CA$4.68

5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.75 CA$2.47

-17.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$30.32 CA$42.66

13.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.28 CA$1.80

-4.69%

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

$22.6K CA$31.8K

-2.10%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$197 CA$277

-61.19%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$57.6 CA$81.1

-38.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$79.0 CA$111

-45.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$78.4 CA$110

-44.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$11.11 CA$15.63

51.49%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$8.78 CA$12.36

26.31%

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

$625 CA$879

$491 CA$691

27.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$8,797 CA$12.4K

-32.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$67.2 CA$94.5

-6.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$52.1 CA$73.3

-14.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$83.3 CA$117

23.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$97.0 CA$136

21.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$948 CA$1,334

27.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$747 CA$1,051

29.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$1,425 CA$2,005

42.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,243 CA$1,749

26.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$1,973 CA$2,776

157.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

$1,575 CA$2,217

140.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$2,734 CA$3,847

5.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.77

-26.00%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $948 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. 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 6% higher in Montreal, 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Groceries tell a different story – $395 in Montreal vs $411 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador – 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. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 2% more than Montreal, 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 $3,127 per month in Montreal and $3,178 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. 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.

Groceries cost about 4% more in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, 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 $74.0 in Montreal and $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. 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 Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,085, than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,118. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,118 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. 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, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.