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 $2,414 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,185 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,955 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

St. Albert, AB costs about 17% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both St. Albert, AB and Montreal sit above the global median – St. Albert, AB by 80%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.68 CA$25.86

$15.92 CA$22.05

17.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 CA$90.3

$73.1 CA$101

-10.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 CA$15.52

$11.15 CA$15.43

0.54%

Cappuccino

$3.66 CA$5.07

$3.80 CA$5.26

-3.68%

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

$2.07 CA$2.86

$2.18 CA$3.01

-5.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$1.46 CA$2.02

19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.29

$6.12 CA$8.48

-14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CA$8.38

$6.78 CA$9.38

-10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.81

$2.33 CA$3.22

-12.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$3.39 CA$4.69

-19.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$3.73 CA$5.16

-12.33%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.64

$3.38 CA$4.68

-0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 CA$18.67

$16.25 CA$22.50

-16.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.81 CA$17.74

$11.54 CA$15.98

11.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 CA$22.26

$15.24 CA$21.10

5.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 CA$6.25

$3.74 CA$5.18

20.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.70 CA$2.36

-19.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.40

$4.11 CA$5.68

-5.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.47

$4.35 CA$6.02

-9.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$2.71 CA$3.75

-5.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.61

$2.62 CA$3.62

-0.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CA$3.69

$2.25 CA$3.12

18.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$1.73 CA$2.39

11.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.51 CA$20.09

$13.31 CA$18.43

9.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 CA$16.72

$10.78 CA$14.93

12.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 CA$4.06

$3.01 CA$4.17

-2.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.56

$3.46 CA$4.80

-4.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$2.74 CA$3.79

-20.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.2 CA$88.9

$72.7 CA$101

-11.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$4.98

$3.63 CA$5.03

-0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.80

$1.46 CA$2.02

-10.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.42 CA$32.42

$33.44 CA$46.30

-29.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.21 CA$1.68

-9.92%

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

$24.6K CA$34.1K

-0.18%

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

$21.7K CA$30.1K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

0.28%

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

$199 CA$276

$76.0 CA$105

162.18%

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

$41.37 CA$57.3

$35.72 CA$49.46

15.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CA$80.0

$42.86 CA$59.4

34.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.45 CA$56.0

$42.92 CA$59.4

-5.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

Cinema Ticket

$12.41 CA$17.19

$11.09 CA$15.35

11.90%

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

$693 CA$960

$620 CA$858

11.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.5K

$5,834 CA$8,078

103.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$80.8

$62.7 CA$86.8

-6.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.36 CA$57.3

$44.41 CA$61.5

-6.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 CA$117

$101 CA$139

-16.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$149

$119 CA$165

-9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 CA$1,838

$1,211 CA$1,677

9.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 CA$1,645

$960 CA$1,329

23.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 CA$1,876

$2,035 CA$2,818

-33.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 CA$1,637

$1,589 CA$2,201

-25.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 CA$3,691

$5,181 CA$7,173

-48.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,614 CA$3,620

$3,934 CA$5,446

-33.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,225 CA$4,465

$2,960 CA$4,098

8.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.01

21.36%

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

Last update for St. Albert, AB: June 2, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,327 in St. Albert, AB 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 9% higher in St. Albert, AB, 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 $65.0 in St. Albert, AB versus $73.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $392 – making St. Albert, AB 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

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

St. Albert, AB costs about 17% more than Montreal, 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 $3,621 per month in St. Albert, AB 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 2% cheaper in St. Albert, AB – 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 $65.0 in St. Albert, AB 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 St. Albert, AB at $2,414. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Albert, AB it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,063 versus $2,414 in St. Albert, AB. 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, St. Albert, AB makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.