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 $2,095 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,020 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,946 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

Saint John, New Brunswick and Montreal have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Saint John, New Brunswick and Montreal sit above the global median – Saint John, New Brunswick by 57%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.02 CA$30.98

$16.52 CA$23.24

33.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 CA$85.3

$74.0 CA$104

-18.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 CA$14.58

$10.94 CA$15.40

-5.21%

Cappuccino

$3.15 CA$4.43

$3.84 CA$5.41

-17.97%

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

$1.68 CA$2.37

$2.14 CA$3.01

-21.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CA$1.65

$1.45 CA$2.04

-19.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.34 CA$6.11

$6.13 CA$8.63

-29.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 CA$7.10

$6.73 CA$9.47

-25.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.83

$2.35 CA$3.31

-14.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$3.34 CA$4.69

-11.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.57

$3.74 CA$5.27

-51.07%

Eggs

$3.64 CA$5.12

$3.39 CA$4.77

7.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 CA$16.28

$16.30 CA$22.93

-29.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 CA$12.39

$11.81 CA$16.62

-25.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.27 CA$22.90

$15.64 CA$22.01

4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.56

$3.69 CA$5.20

7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.70 CA$2.39

-14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.12

$4.11 CA$5.79

-11.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 CA$6.14

$4.41 CA$6.20

-0.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$2.79 CA$3.93

-26.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 CA$3.01

$2.64 CA$3.72

-18.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 CA$3.77

$2.29 CA$3.22

17.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.10

$1.78 CA$2.51

-16.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.33 CA$25.79

$13.17 CA$18.53

39.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 CA$13.54

$10.64 CA$14.97

-9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 CA$4.77

$2.99 CA$4.20

13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.59

$3.44 CA$4.83

-5.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 CA$3.02

$2.81 CA$3.95

-23.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 CA$84.7

$72.8 CA$102

-17.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.11

$3.52 CA$4.95

3.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 CA$1.57

$1.45 CA$2.05

-23.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 CA$41.59

$34.29 CA$48.26

-13.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.70

$1.22 CA$1.72

-0.82%

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-2.27%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

-9.41%

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

$129 CA$181

$76.5 CA$108

68.46%

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

$37.71 CA$53.1

$35.60 CA$50.1

5.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 CA$89.8

$42.96 CA$60.5

48.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 CA$59.4

$43.39 CA$61.1

-2.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.57 CA$51.5

$16.83 CA$23.68

117.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 CA$15.63

$11.09 CA$15.60

0.18%

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

$164 CA$231

$625 CA$879

-73.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.4K

$5,896 CA$8,296

97.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 CA$58.9

$63.1 CA$88.8

-33.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$60.7

$44.50 CA$62.6

-3.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 CA$121

$103 CA$145

-16.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 CA$168

$118 CA$166

1.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 CA$1,452

$1,207 CA$1,699

-14.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$962 CA$1,353

$965 CA$1,358

-0.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,643 CA$2,311

$2,031 CA$2,858

-19.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 CA$1,982

$1,577 CA$2,219

-10.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,016 CA$2,837

$5,085 CA$7,155

-60.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 CA$2,939

$3,783 CA$5,324

-44.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 CA$3,519

$2,890 CA$4,066

-13.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

5.01

23.35%

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

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: July 13, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,032 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $1,207 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 16% higher in Montreal. 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 $74.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $395 – making Saint John, New Brunswick 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,142 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick and $3,127 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $74.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,085, than in Saint John, New Brunswick at $2,095. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint John, New Brunswick it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,095 in Saint John, New Brunswick. 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, Saint John, New Brunswick makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.