Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in St John: $319 a month against $2,067 in Montreal, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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St John

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$319

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,067

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in St John and in Montreal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in St John and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $319 per month in St John vs $2,067 in Montreal, rent included.

St John $319
Montreal $2,067

A couple spends around $924 per month in St John vs $3,179 in Montreal, rent included.

St John $924
Montreal $3,179

A family of three spends $1,529 per month in St John vs $4,291 in Montreal, rent included.

St John $1,529
Montreal $4,291

St John is about 85% cheaper than Montreal.

St John sits 76% below the global median, while Montreal is 53% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.79 $19.79

$18.89 CA$26.48

4.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$175 $175

$72.6 CA$102

141.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 CA$15.13

Cappuccino

$6.97 $6.97

$3.98 CA$5.58

75.13%

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

$3.03 $3.03

$2.02 CA$2.83

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.63 CA$2.29

25.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.32 CA$8.86

28.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$7.06 CA$9.90

13.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.27

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CA$4.55

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.58

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.87

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.25

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.09

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 CA$19.99

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.94

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CA$2.04

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.78

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.49

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.71

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CA$2.50

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.51 CA$16.13

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 CA$14.82

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CA$3.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.5 CA$110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.45

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.49 CA$46.94

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.36 CA$1.91

13.97%

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

$28.0K CA$39.3K

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

$21.1K CA$29.6K

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

$77.6 CA$109

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

$35.63 CA$49.94

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.73 CA$61.3

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.07 CA$42.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.97 CA$27.99

Cinema Ticket

$11.27 CA$15.80

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

$522 CA$732

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K $13.4K

$17.8K CA$24.9K

-24.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$82.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.01 CA$54.7

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 CA$140

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$154

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 CA$1,820

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 CA$1,360

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 CA$3,257

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 CA$2,368

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K $12.9K

$5,004 CA$7,014

158.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,736 CA$5,237

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,165 $5,165

$2,943 CA$4,125

75.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

4.51

56.32%

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

Last update for St John: November 3, 2026

Last update for Montreal: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

St John

–

Montreal

$970 47%

Groceries & Markets

St John

–

Montreal

$357 17.3%

Eating Out

St John

–

Montreal

$292 14.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

St John

–

Montreal

$157 7.6%

Clothing & Footwear

St John

–

Montreal

$138 6.7%

Getting Around

St John

–

Montreal

$100 4.8%

Sport & Entertainment

St John

–

Montreal

$53 2.6%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 76% higher in St John, 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 $175 in St John versus $73 in Montreal. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

Good to know

🇻🇮 St John

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

05:34 5:34 AM

04:34 4:34 AM

1 h behind St John

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,743

1,762,949

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.635 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

St John Montreal 3,130 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

St John
Montreal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal costs about 548% more than St John, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $479 per month in St John and $3,100 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $319 in St John and $2,067 in Montreal. That makes St John about 85% cheaper.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $175 in St John and $73 in Montreal. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in St John, where all-in costs run around $319, than in Montreal at $2,067. In St John it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $319 in St John to $2,067 in Montreal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.