Cost of Living Comparison Between Red Deer and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Red Deer and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,295 per month in Red Deer vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,216 per month in Red Deer vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,137 per month in Red Deer vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

Red Deer costs about 12% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Red Deer and Montreal sit above the global median – Red Deer by 67%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.83 CA$26.06

$17.85 CA$24.70

5.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 CA$84.1

$72.3 CA$100

-15.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 CA$15.72

$10.92 CA$15.11

4.03%

Cappuccino

$5.30 CA$7.33

$3.97 CA$5.49

33.50%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.07 CA$2.87

-2.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$1.55 CA$2.14

41.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.31 CA$7.35

$6.41 CA$8.88

-17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 CA$9.43

$7.29 CA$10.09

-6.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 CA$2.58

$2.39 CA$3.30

-22.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$3.21 CA$4.44

-16.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.77

$3.07 CA$4.25

12.38%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.75

$3.68 CA$5.09

-6.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CA$14.22

$13.57 CA$18.78

-24.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.72 CA$23.13

$11.63 CA$16.09

43.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.48 CA$24.18

$13.97 CA$19.33

25.13%

Apples (1kg)

$7.21 CA$9.97

$3.68 CA$5.10

95.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 CA$2.41

$1.56 CA$2.16

11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.31

$3.41 CA$4.72

-29.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.66 CA$7.83

$3.03 CA$4.19

86.80%

Potato (1kg)

$5.48 CA$7.59

$1.98 CA$2.74

176.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.04

$1.82 CA$2.52

20.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$2.56 CA$3.54

25.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$1.39 CA$1.92

107.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.14 CA$22.34

$11.49 CA$15.90

40.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 CA$20.35

$10.92 CA$15.11

34.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.60 CA$9.13

$3.01 CA$4.16

119.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$2.69 CA$3.72

-21.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 CA$75.0

$75.3 CA$104

-28.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$3.35 CA$4.63

-17.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$1.50 CA$2.08

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.17 CA$32.06

$33.70 CA$46.63

-31.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$1.29 CA$1.79

-17.83%

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

$26.9K CA$37.2K

$28.3K CA$39.1K

-4.85%

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

$19.0K CA$26.3K

$20.0K CA$27.6K

-4.83%

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

$183 CA$253

$80.4 CA$111

127.16%

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

$64.2 CA$88.8

$34.23 CA$47.37

87.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 CA$90.4

$41.39 CA$57.3

57.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.86 CA$49.62

$29.24 CA$40.46

22.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.87 CA$15.04

$19.89 CA$27.52

-45.35%

Cinema Ticket

$10.74 CA$14.86

$11.71 CA$16.20

-8.28%

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

$564 CA$781

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 CA$70.5

$59.5 CA$82.3

-14.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 CA$48.37

$42.13 CA$58.3

-17.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 CA$111

$107 CA$148

-24.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$111 CA$153

-0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 CA$1,493

$1,284 CA$1,776

-15.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 CA$1,302

$990 CA$1,370

-4.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CA$2,210

$2,260 CA$3,127

-29.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 CA$1,896

$1,667 CA$2,307

-17.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,750 CA$3,805

$5,287 CA$7,316

-47.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,811 CA$3,889

$3,813 CA$5,276

-26.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,195

$3,019 CA$4,177

0.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.8

4.41

31.52%

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

Last update for Red Deer: September 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,079 in Red Deer versus $1,284 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 0% higher in Red Deer, 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 $61.0 in Red Deer versus $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $435 in Red Deer vs $356 in Montreal – 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

Red Deer vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Red Deer costs about 12% more than Montreal, 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 $3,443 per month in Red Deer and $3,084 in Montreal. 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.

Public transport costs about 39% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Red Deer, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,056, than in Red Deer at $2,295. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Red Deer it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,056 versus $2,295 in Red Deer. 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, Red Deer makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.