Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,970 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,928 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,887 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

Saint John, New Brunswick is about 4% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Saint John, New Brunswick and Montreal sit above the global median – Saint John, New Brunswick by 43%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.25 CA$26.64

$17.85 CA$24.70

7.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 CA$83.8

$72.3 CA$100

-16.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.12

$10.92 CA$15.11

Cappuccino

$3.16 CA$4.37

$3.97 CA$5.49

-20.40%

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

$1.81 CA$2.51

$2.07 CA$2.87

-12.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.55 CA$2.14

-29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.59 CA$6.35

$6.41 CA$8.88

-28.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CA$7.11

$7.29 CA$10.09

-29.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$2.39 CA$3.30

-8.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$3.21 CA$4.44

-15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.45

$3.07 CA$4.25

4.89%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.11

$3.68 CA$5.09

0.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 CA$19.17

$13.57 CA$18.78

2.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.81 CA$14.96

$11.63 CA$16.09

-7.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 CA$18.18

$13.97 CA$19.33

-5.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 CA$7.13

$3.68 CA$5.10

39.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.12

$1.56 CA$2.16

-1.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.96

$3.41 CA$4.72

26.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.62

$3.03 CA$4.19

33.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.94

$1.98 CA$2.74

7.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$1.82 CA$2.52

23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.67

$2.56 CA$3.54

3.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.39 CA$1.92

5.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.29

$11.49 CA$15.90

27.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 CA$13.81

$10.92 CA$15.11

-8.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.56

$2.26 CA$3.13

-18.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 CA$2.94

$3.01 CA$4.16

-29.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$2.69 CA$3.72

-18.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.8 CA$80.0

$75.3 CA$104

-23.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$3.35 CA$4.63

-11.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.68

$1.50 CA$2.08

-18.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.97 CA$30.41

$33.70 CA$46.63

-34.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.29 CA$1.79

-6.20%

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

$25.4K CA$35.2K

$28.3K CA$39.1K

-10.10%

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

$19.4K CA$26.9K

$20.0K CA$27.6K

-2.66%

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

$124 CA$172

$80.4 CA$111

54.67%

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

$41.81 CA$57.9

$34.23 CA$47.37

22.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 CA$90.5

$41.39 CA$57.3

57.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 CA$75.5

$29.24 CA$40.46

86.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.76 CA$49.49

$19.89 CA$27.52

79.79%

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 CA$17.65

$11.71 CA$16.20

8.97%

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

$384 CA$531

$564 CA$781

-32.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K CA$15.9K

$16.8K CA$23.3K

-31.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 CA$71.2

$59.5 CA$82.3

-13.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.92 CA$49.70

$42.13 CA$58.3

-14.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 CA$147

$107 CA$148

-0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$111 CA$153

-0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 CA$1,399

$1,284 CA$1,776

-21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 CA$1,163

$990 CA$1,370

-15.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 CA$2,265

$2,260 CA$3,127

-27.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 CA$1,847

$1,667 CA$2,307

-19.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,072 CA$2,867

$5,287 CA$7,316

-60.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 CA$3,033

$3,813 CA$5,276

-42.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,491 CA$3,447

$3,019 CA$4,177

-17.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.69

4.41

6.35%

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

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: September 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,011 in Saint John, New Brunswick 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 21% 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 $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $357 in Saint John, New Brunswick 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

Saint John, New Brunswick vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 4% more than Saint John, New Brunswick, 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 $2,955 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick 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 Saint John, New Brunswick, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% 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 $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $72.0 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 Saint John, New Brunswick, where all-in costs run around $1,970, than in Montreal at $2,056. In Saint John, New Brunswick it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saint John, New Brunswick costs $1,970 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 Saint John, New Brunswick. 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.