Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,214 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $2,056 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,538 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $3,112 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,862 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $4,167 in Montreal, rent included.

St. Albert, AB is about 41% cheaper than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

St. Albert, AB sits 12% below the global median, while Montreal is 50% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.59 CA$28.40

$17.85 CA$24.62

15.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$97.3

$72.3 CA$99.7

-2.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 CA$13.88

$10.92 CA$15.06

-7.88%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.41

$3.97 CA$5.47

-1.01%

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

$2.15 CA$2.97

$2.07 CA$2.86

3.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.66

$1.55 CA$2.13

24.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 CA$7.08

$6.41 CA$8.85

-19.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 CA$7.74

$7.29 CA$10.05

-22.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 CA$2.37

$2.39 CA$3.29

-28.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CA$3.07

$3.21 CA$4.42

-30.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.36

$3.07 CA$4.23

2.93%

Eggs

$3.60 CA$4.96

$3.68 CA$5.07

-2.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 CA$15.97

$13.57 CA$18.72

-14.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 CA$16.01

$11.63 CA$16.03

-0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.33 CA$25.27

$13.97 CA$19.27

31.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 CA$6.21

$3.68 CA$5.08

22.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.86

$1.56 CA$2.15

-13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 CA$5.80

$3.41 CA$4.70

23.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.46

$3.03 CA$4.17

30.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.69

$1.98 CA$2.74

35.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 CA$3.93

$1.82 CA$2.52

56.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CA$3.66

$2.56 CA$3.53

3.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$1.39 CA$1.92

11.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$19.95

$11.49 CA$15.85

25.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 CA$16.79

$10.92 CA$15.06

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CA$3.63

$2.26 CA$3.12

16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$3.01 CA$4.15

-4.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.20 CA$3.04

$2.69 CA$3.71

-18.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 CA$87.1

$75.3 CA$104

-16.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.00

$3.35 CA$4.62

-13.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.86

$1.50 CA$2.07

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.55 CA$29.71

$33.70 CA$46.47

-36.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.63

$1.29 CA$1.78

-7.75%

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

$28.1K CA$38.7K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

-0.72%

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

$20.0K CA$27.5K

0.02%

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

$184 CA$254

$80.4 CA$111

129.09%

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

$38.58 CA$53.2

$34.23 CA$47.21

12.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 CA$77.6

$41.39 CA$57.1

35.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.61 CA$57.4

$29.24 CA$40.32

42.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.43

Cinema Ticket

$13.34 CA$18.40

$11.71 CA$16.15

13.92%

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

$783 CA$1,079

$564 CA$778

38.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,897 CA$13.6K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

-41.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 CA$78.3

$59.5 CA$82.1

-4.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.09 CA$53.9

$42.13 CA$58.1

-7.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 CA$120

$107 CA$148

-19.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$157

$111 CA$153

2.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,770

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,365

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 CA$1,858

$2,260 CA$3,116

-40.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 CA$1,595

$1,667 CA$2,299

-30.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,564 CA$3,536

$5,287 CA$7,291

-51.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,578 CA$3,556

$3,813 CA$5,258

-32.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,355 CA$4,627

$3,019 CA$4,163

11.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

4.41

-0.23%

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

Last update for St. Albert, AB: September 1, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 11% higher in St. Albert, AB, 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 $71.0 in St. Albert, AB versus $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $368 in St. Albert, AB 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

St. Albert, AB vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 69% more than St. Albert, AB, 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 $1,821 per month in St. Albert, AB and $3,084 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $71.0 in St. Albert, AB and $72.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in St. Albert, AB, where all-in costs run around $1,214, than in Montreal at $2,056. In St. Albert, AB it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. St. Albert, AB costs $1,214 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 St. Albert, AB. 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.