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 $2,071 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $2,063 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,131 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $3,159 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,191 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $4,255 in Montreal, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Montreal have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Montreal sit above the global median – St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador by 55%, Montreal by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.72 CA$25.91

$15.92 CA$22.05

17.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$102

$73.1 CA$101

0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 CA$16.14

$11.15 CA$15.43

4.57%

Cappuccino

$3.32 CA$4.60

$3.80 CA$5.26

-12.63%

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

$2.48 CA$3.44

$2.18 CA$3.01

13.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$1.46 CA$2.02

23.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 CA$6.95

$6.12 CA$8.48

-17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 CA$7.22

$6.78 CA$9.38

-23.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.33 CA$3.22

26.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$3.39 CA$4.69

-2.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 CA$6.23

$3.73 CA$5.16

20.64%

Eggs

$3.89 CA$5.39

$3.38 CA$4.68

15.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 CA$12.11

$16.25 CA$22.50

-46.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.79

$11.54 CA$15.98

11.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 CA$15.50

$15.24 CA$21.10

-26.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 CA$7.67

$3.74 CA$5.18

48.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.06

$1.70 CA$2.36

30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 CA$7.37

$4.11 CA$5.68

29.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.19

$4.35 CA$6.02

-30.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$2.71 CA$3.75

-18.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.68

$2.62 CA$3.62

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.36 CA$4.66

$2.25 CA$3.12

49.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$1.73 CA$2.39

30.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.36

$13.31 CA$18.43

10.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 CA$19.77

$10.78 CA$14.93

32.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 CA$5.81

$3.01 CA$4.17

39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CA$6.51

$3.46 CA$4.80

35.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$2.74 CA$3.79

-34.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 CA$79.7

$72.7 CA$101

-20.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 CA$4.54

$3.63 CA$5.03

-9.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.38

$1.46 CA$2.02

17.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.11 CA$41.70

$33.44 CA$46.30

-9.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.21 CA$1.68

3.31%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

1.13%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

1.47%

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

$198 CA$275

$76.0 CA$105

160.93%

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

$58.2 CA$80.6

$35.72 CA$49.46

62.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.9 CA$108

$42.86 CA$59.4

81.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 CA$108

$42.92 CA$59.4

80.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 CA$15.03

$17.23 CA$23.86

-37.03%

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 CA$12.37

$11.09 CA$15.35

-19.48%

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

$505 CA$699

$620 CA$858

-18.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,949 CA$12.4K

$5,834 CA$8,078

53.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 CA$95.0

$62.7 CA$86.8

9.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 CA$71.9

$44.41 CA$61.5

16.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 CA$119

$101 CA$139

-14.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 CA$134

$119 CA$165

-18.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 CA$1,312

$1,211 CA$1,677

-21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 CA$1,040

$960 CA$1,329

-21.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$1,993

$2,035 CA$2,818

-29.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 CA$1,787

$1,589 CA$2,201

-18.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,051 CA$2,840

$5,181 CA$7,173

-60.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,613 CA$2,234

$3,934 CA$5,446

-58.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,870 CA$3,974

$2,960 CA$4,098

-3.03%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 3% higher in Montreal. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $409 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $392 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,107 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $73.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Montreal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,063, than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,071. 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 $2,063 versus $2,071 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.