Cost of Living Comparison Between Quebec City and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Quebec City and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,960 per month in Quebec City vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,898 per month in Quebec City vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,837 per month in Quebec City vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Quebec City is about 5% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Quebec City and Montreal sit above the global median – Quebec City by 46%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.70 CA$23.12

$15.92 CA$22.05

4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$90.5

$73.1 CA$101

-10.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.44

$11.15 CA$15.43

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.25

$3.80 CA$5.26

-0.26%

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

$2.04 CA$2.83

$2.18 CA$3.01

-6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.22

$6.12 CA$8.48

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 CA$8.70

$6.78 CA$9.38

-7.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$2.33 CA$3.22

-9.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 CA$4.58

$3.39 CA$4.69

-2.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.91

$3.73 CA$5.16

14.48%

Eggs

$3.11 CA$4.30

$3.38 CA$4.68

-7.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.79 CA$17.71

$16.25 CA$22.50

-21.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 CA$14.96

$11.54 CA$15.98

-6.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 CA$19.59

$15.24 CA$21.10

-7.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.51

$3.74 CA$5.18

6.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CA$2.32

$1.70 CA$2.36

-1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.84

$4.11 CA$5.68

2.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.68

$4.35 CA$6.02

-5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.61

$2.71 CA$3.75

-30.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.48

$2.62 CA$3.62

-4.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.25 CA$3.12

17.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.19

$1.73 CA$2.39

-8.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.86 CA$17.81

$13.31 CA$18.43

-3.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 CA$16.05

$10.78 CA$14.93

7.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.34

$3.01 CA$4.17

3.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 CA$5.42

$3.46 CA$4.80

13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.90

$2.74 CA$3.79

2.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.9 CA$95.5

$72.7 CA$101

-5.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$3.63 CA$5.03

4.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$1.46 CA$2.02

54.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.35 CA$43.41

$33.44 CA$46.30

-6.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.21 CA$1.68

2.48%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

1.04%

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

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

-9.09%

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

$86.9 CA$120

$76.0 CA$105

14.26%

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

$38.53 CA$53.4

$35.72 CA$49.46

7.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.57 CA$61.7

$42.86 CA$59.4

3.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 CA$58.2

$42.92 CA$59.4

-2.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.63 CA$20.26

$17.23 CA$23.86

-15.09%

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 CA$15.07

$11.09 CA$15.35

-1.89%

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

$845 CA$1,170

$620 CA$858

36.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,217 CA$8,609

$5,834 CA$8,078

6.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 CA$85.0

$62.7 CA$86.8

-1.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 CA$74.2

$44.41 CA$61.5

20.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CA$156

$101 CA$139

12.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 CA$178

$119 CA$165

7.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 CA$1,253

$1,211 CA$1,677

-25.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 CA$1,148

$960 CA$1,329

-13.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 CA$2,083

$2,035 CA$2,818

-26.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 CA$1,602

$1,589 CA$2,201

-27.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,881 CA$8,142

$5,181 CA$7,173

13.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,842 CA$3,934

$3,934 CA$5,446

-27.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,832 CA$3,921

$2,960 CA$4,098

-4.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

5.01

37.13%

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

Last update for Quebec City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $905 in Quebec City versus $1,211 in Montreal. 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 $65.0 in Quebec City versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $392 – making Quebec City 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

Quebec City vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 5% more than Quebec City, 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 $2,940 per month in Quebec City and $3,094 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $65.0 in Quebec City and $73.0 in Montreal. 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 Quebec City, where all-in costs run around $1,960, than in Montreal at $2,063. In Quebec City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Quebec City costs $1,960 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 Quebec City. 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.