Cost of Living Comparison Between Saguenay and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Saguenay and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,320 per month in Saguenay vs $2,065 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,369 per month in Saguenay vs $3,180 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,418 per month in Saguenay vs $4,296 in Montreal, rent included.

Saguenay is about 36% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saguenay sits 2% below the global median, while Montreal is 53% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.38 CA$18.34

$16.08 CA$22.03

-16.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.87 CA$61.5

$73.8 CA$101

-39.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.25

$10.91 CA$14.95

2.02%

Cappuccino

$3.78 CA$5.18

$3.67 CA$5.03

3.00%

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

$1.52 CA$2.08

$2.06 CA$2.83

-26.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.44 CA$1.97

-9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 CA$7.39

$6.21 CA$8.50

-13.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CA$7.25

$6.44 CA$8.82

-17.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$2.34 CA$3.21

-7.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 CA$4.08

$3.23 CA$4.42

-7.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.09

$3.84 CA$5.26

15.89%

Eggs

$2.53 CA$3.47

$3.32 CA$4.54

-23.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 CA$17.50

$16.35 CA$22.40

-21.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 CA$12.19

$11.92 CA$16.33

-25.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.86 CA$18.99

$15.10 CA$20.69

-8.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.68

$3.68 CA$5.04

12.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.81

$1.69 CA$2.32

-21.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.66

$4.12 CA$5.64

0.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.61

$4.29 CA$5.88

-4.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 CA$2.53

$2.79 CA$3.82

-34.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$2.70 CA$3.70

-38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.58

$2.17 CA$2.97

20.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 CA$1.15

$1.78 CA$2.44

-52.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.16 CA$16.66

$13.22 CA$18.12

-8.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.13

$11.04 CA$15.12

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.23

$2.97 CA$4.07

4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.71

$3.44 CA$4.71

-42.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 CA$3.72

$2.80 CA$3.84

-3.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 CA$76.8

$72.2 CA$98.9

-22.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 CA$4.99

$3.67 CA$5.03

-0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 CA$2.78

$1.40 CA$1.92

45.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.86 CA$42.28

$34.07 CA$46.68

-9.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.59

$1.21 CA$1.66

-4.13%

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

$25.2K CA$34.5K

$25.3K CA$34.7K

-0.61%

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

$20.5K CA$28.1K

$21.9K CA$30.0K

-6.24%

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

$86.1 CA$118

$74.4 CA$102

15.79%

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

$38.78 CA$53.1

$36.64 CA$50.2

5.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.45 CA$59.5

$43.41 CA$59.5

0.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.59 CA$44.65

$43.20 CA$59.2

-24.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.01 CA$19.20

$17.18 CA$23.54

-18.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.55 CA$13.09

$10.99 CA$15.06

-13.10%

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

$600 CA$822

$614 CA$842

-2.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,285 CA$8,611

$5,855 CA$8,022

7.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$82.9

$62.6 CA$85.8

-3.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 CA$72.2

$44.25 CA$60.6

19.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 CA$133

$103 CA$142

-5.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$177

$122 CA$167

6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 CA$841

$1,190 CA$1,631

-48.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 CA$404

$946 CA$1,296

-68.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 CA$1,792

$2,037 CA$2,791

-35.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,492

$1,548 CA$2,120

-29.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,853 CA$8,019

$5,398 CA$7,395

8.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,609 CA$4,944

$4,014 CA$5,499

-10.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,650 CA$3,630

$3,013 CA$4,128

-12.07%

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 Saguenay: April 11, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $614 in Saguenay versus $1,190 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 14% 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 $45 in Saguenay versus $74 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $392 – making Saguenay 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

Saguenay vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 56% more than Saguenay, 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 $1,980 per month in Saguenay and $3,097 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $45.00 in Saguenay and $74.0 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 Saguenay, where all-in costs run around $1,320, than in Montreal at $2,065. In Saguenay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saguenay costs $1,320 versus $2,065 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 Saguenay. 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.