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 $2,080 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,071 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,062 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

Saint John, New Brunswick costs about 1% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Saint John, New Brunswick and Montreal sit above the global median – Saint John, New Brunswick by 55%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.24 CA$30.93

$15.92 CA$22.14

39.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.4 CA$85.3

$73.1 CA$102

-15.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 CA$14.31

$11.15 CA$15.50

-7.71%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CA$4.35

$3.80 CA$5.29

-17.63%

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

$1.67 CA$2.32

$2.18 CA$3.03

-23.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.46 CA$2.03

-19.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 CA$6.11

$6.12 CA$8.51

-28.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 CA$7.10

$6.78 CA$9.42

-24.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$2.33 CA$3.24

-14.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.02

$3.39 CA$4.72

-14.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 CA$2.52

$3.73 CA$5.19

-51.47%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.97

$3.38 CA$4.70

5.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 CA$16.30

$16.25 CA$22.60

-27.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 CA$12.63

$11.54 CA$16.05

-21.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 CA$22.56

$15.24 CA$21.19

6.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.65

$3.74 CA$5.20

8.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.70 CA$2.37

-14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.98

$4.11 CA$5.71

-12.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.15

$4.35 CA$6.05

1.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 CA$2.88

$2.71 CA$3.76

-23.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.92

$2.62 CA$3.64

-19.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.25 CA$3.13

17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.73 CA$2.40

-16.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 CA$26.03

$13.31 CA$18.51

40.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 CA$13.91

$10.78 CA$15.00

-7.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 CA$4.65

$3.01 CA$4.19

10.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CA$4.63

$3.46 CA$4.82

-3.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 CA$3.00

$2.74 CA$3.81

-21.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 CA$82.0

$72.7 CA$101

-18.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$3.63 CA$5.05

3.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.46 CA$2.03

-19.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.32 CA$40.77

$33.44 CA$46.50

-12.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.70

$1.21 CA$1.69

0.83%

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

$25.2K CA$35.0K

$24.6K CA$34.3K

2.16%

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

$20.1K CA$27.9K

$21.7K CA$30.2K

-7.41%

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

$127 CA$177

$76.0 CA$106

67.69%

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

$37.17 CA$51.7

$35.72 CA$49.68

4.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 CA$87.6

$42.86 CA$59.6

46.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.12 CA$58.6

$42.92 CA$59.7

-1.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.97 CA$51.4

$17.23 CA$23.97

114.57%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 CA$15.25

$11.09 CA$15.42

-1.08%

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

$164 CA$228

$620 CA$862

-73.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.3K

$5,834 CA$8,114

101.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.72 CA$58.0

$62.7 CA$87.1

-33.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 CA$58.4

$44.41 CA$61.8

-5.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$122

$101 CA$140

-13.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$169

$119 CA$166

2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 CA$1,464

$1,211 CA$1,684

-13.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 CA$1,313

$960 CA$1,334

-1.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CA$2,241

$2,035 CA$2,831

-20.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 CA$1,948

$1,589 CA$2,210

-11.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 CA$2,907

$5,181 CA$7,205

-59.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,159 CA$3,002

$3,934 CA$5,470

-45.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,682 CA$3,729

$2,960 CA$4,116

-9.40%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,053 in Saint John, New Brunswick 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 10% higher in Montreal, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $392 – 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

Saint John, New Brunswick costs about 1% 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 $3,120 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick 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 Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Saint John, New Brunswick – 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 $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 Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,063, than in Saint John, New Brunswick at $2,080. 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 $2,063 versus $2,080 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.