Cost of Living Comparison Between St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,118 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $2,085 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,111 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $3,174 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,103 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $4,262 in Montreal, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 2% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Montreal sit above the global median – St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador by 59%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 CA$25.75

$16.52 CA$23.24

10.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.8 CA$102

$74.0 CA$104

-1.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.61 CA$16.33

$10.94 CA$15.40

6.12%

Cappuccino

$3.30 CA$4.65

$3.84 CA$5.41

-14.06%

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

$2.51 CA$3.53

$2.14 CA$3.01

17.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.53

$1.45 CA$2.04

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 CA$7.09

$6.13 CA$8.63

-17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 CA$7.29

$6.73 CA$9.47

-23.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 CA$4.25

$2.35 CA$3.31

28.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.34 CA$4.69

-6.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.24

$3.74 CA$5.27

18.72%

Eggs

$3.82 CA$5.37

$3.39 CA$4.77

12.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 CA$12.74

$16.30 CA$22.93

-44.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.22

$11.81 CA$16.62

9.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 CA$15.96

$15.64 CA$22.01

-27.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 CA$7.77

$3.69 CA$5.20

49.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 CA$3.23

$1.70 CA$2.39

34.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.50 CA$7.74

$4.11 CA$5.79

33.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.43

$4.41 CA$6.20

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 CA$2.97

$2.79 CA$3.93

-24.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.74

$2.64 CA$3.72

0.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.37 CA$4.74

$2.29 CA$3.22

47.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.15

$1.78 CA$2.51

25.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.48 CA$20.37

$13.17 CA$18.53

9.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.08 CA$19.81

$10.64 CA$14.97

32.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.29 CA$6.04

$2.99 CA$4.20

43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 CA$6.73

$3.44 CA$4.83

39.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 CA$2.66

$2.81 CA$3.95

-32.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.4 CA$79.4

$72.8 CA$102

-22.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 CA$4.68

$3.52 CA$4.95

-5.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 CA$2.47

$1.45 CA$2.05

20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.32 CA$42.66

$34.29 CA$48.26

-11.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.80

$1.22 CA$1.72

4.92%

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-2.28%

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

$22.6K CA$31.8K

$22.1K CA$31.1K

2.15%

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

$197 CA$277

$76.5 CA$108

157.65%

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

$57.6 CA$81.1

$35.60 CA$50.1

61.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.0 CA$111

$42.96 CA$60.5

83.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 CA$110

$43.39 CA$61.1

80.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 CA$15.63

$16.83 CA$23.68

-33.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 CA$12.36

$11.09 CA$15.60

-20.83%

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

$491 CA$691

$625 CA$879

-21.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,797 CA$12.4K

$5,896 CA$8,296

49.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 CA$94.5

$63.1 CA$88.8

6.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 CA$73.3

$44.50 CA$62.6

17.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 CA$117

$103 CA$145

-18.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.0 CA$136

$118 CA$166

-17.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 CA$1,334

$1,207 CA$1,699

-21.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 CA$1,051

$965 CA$1,358

-22.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,425 CA$2,005

$2,031 CA$2,858

-29.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 CA$1,749

$1,577 CA$2,219

-21.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 CA$2,776

$5,085 CA$7,155

-61.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,575 CA$2,217

$3,783 CA$5,324

-58.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,734 CA$3,847

$2,890 CA$4,066

-5.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

5.01

35.13%

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

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: July 13, 2026

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 6% 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 $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $74.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $411 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $395 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. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 2% 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 $3,178 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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.

Groceries cost about 4% more in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $74.0 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 $2,085, than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,118. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,085 versus $2,118 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. 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. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.