Cost of Living Comparison Between Sherbrooke and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between Sherbrooke and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Sherbrooke vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,630 per month in Sherbrooke vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,607 per month in Sherbrooke vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

Sherbrooke is about 20% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sherbrooke and Montreal sit above the global median – Sherbrooke by 20%, Montreal by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.96 CA$24.76

$17.85 CA$24.62

0.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 CA$94.5

$72.3 CA$99.7

-5.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$14.90

$10.92 CA$15.06

-1.01%

Cappuccino

$3.41 CA$4.71

$3.97 CA$5.47

-14.11%

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

$1.90 CA$2.62

$2.07 CA$2.86

-8.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.45

$1.55 CA$2.13

14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.79 CA$7.98

$6.41 CA$8.85

-9.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CA$7.02

$7.29 CA$10.05

-30.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 CA$3.85

$2.39 CA$3.29

16.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 CA$3.96

$3.21 CA$4.42

-10.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 CA$4.99

$3.07 CA$4.23

17.92%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.40

$3.68 CA$5.07

-13.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 CA$16.60

$13.57 CA$18.72

-11.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.98 CA$15.14

$11.63 CA$16.03

-5.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.55

$13.97 CA$19.27

17.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.77

$3.68 CA$5.08

13.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.10

$1.56 CA$2.15

-2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.32

$3.41 CA$4.70

13.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.67

$3.03 CA$4.17

11.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.35

$1.98 CA$2.74

-14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.82

$1.82 CA$2.52

52.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 CA$2.51

$2.56 CA$3.53

-28.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.55

$1.39 CA$1.92

33.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.88 CA$17.76

$11.49 CA$15.85

12.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 CA$16.80

$10.92 CA$15.06

11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.50

$2.26 CA$3.12

76.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 CA$5.26

$3.01 CA$4.15

26.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.70

$2.69 CA$3.71

-0.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 CA$86.3

$75.3 CA$104

-16.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 CA$5.03

$3.35 CA$4.62

8.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 CA$1.23

$1.50 CA$2.07

-40.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.77 CA$45.19

$33.70 CA$46.47

-2.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.72

$1.29 CA$1.78

-3.10%

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

$28.1K CA$38.7K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

-0.69%

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

$19.1K CA$26.3K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

-4.52%

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

$72.5 CA$100.0

$80.4 CA$111

-9.78%

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

$44.39 CA$61.2

$34.23 CA$47.21

29.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.99 CA$67.6

$41.39 CA$57.1

18.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.26

$29.24 CA$40.32

-0.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 CA$9.39

$19.89 CA$27.43

-65.76%

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 CA$14.24

$11.71 CA$16.15

-11.78%

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

$899 CA$1,239

$564 CA$778

59.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,597 CA$13.2K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

-43.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 CA$89.7

$59.5 CA$82.1

9.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.66 CA$43.66

$42.13 CA$58.1

-24.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.9 CA$86.8

$107 CA$148

-41.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 CA$175

$111 CA$153

14.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 CA$1,149

$1,284 CA$1,770

-35.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 CA$800

$990 CA$1,365

-41.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 CA$1,772

$2,260 CA$3,116

-43.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 CA$1,406

$1,667 CA$2,299

-38.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,248 CA$3,101

$5,287 CA$7,291

-57.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 CA$2,475

$3,813 CA$5,258

-52.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,783 CA$3,838

$3,019 CA$4,163

-7.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.76

4.41

7.94%

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

Last update for Sherbrooke: August 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $833 in Sherbrooke 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 8% 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 $68.0 in Sherbrooke versus $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $378 in Sherbrooke 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

Sherbrooke vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 24% more than Sherbrooke, 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 $2,479 per month in Sherbrooke 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 Sherbrooke, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $68.0 in Sherbrooke and $72.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sherbrooke, where all-in costs run around $1,653, than in Montreal at $2,056. In Sherbrooke it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sherbrooke costs $1,653 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 Sherbrooke. 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.