Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Thomas and Montreal Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Thomas and Montreal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,320 per month in St. Thomas vs $2,088 in Montreal, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,337 per month in St. Thomas vs $3,123 in Montreal, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,355 per month in St. Thomas vs $4,157 in Montreal, rent included.

St. Thomas costs about 11% more than Montreal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both St. Thomas and Montreal sit above the global median – St. Thomas by 73%, Montreal by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.29 CA$27.80

$15.89 CA$21.77

27.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 CA$103

$74.7 CA$102

0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.52 CA$15.78

$10.83 CA$14.83

6.37%

Cappuccino

$3.48 CA$4.77

$3.80 CA$5.21

-8.42%

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

$1.82 CA$2.50

$2.10 CA$2.88

-13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.38

$1.51 CA$2.08

15.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.15

$6.09 CA$8.34

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 CA$7.98

$6.48 CA$8.88

-10.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 CA$2.76

$2.32 CA$3.18

-12.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.66

$3.26 CA$4.47

-18.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.48

$3.79 CA$5.19

-13.72%

Eggs

$3.08 CA$4.22

$3.46 CA$4.73

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 CA$13.01

$16.07 CA$22.02

-40.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.38 CA$15.59

$11.78 CA$16.14

-3.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.56 CA$21.32

$15.13 CA$20.73

2.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.49

$3.74 CA$5.12

7.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.69

$1.71 CA$2.34

-27.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.56

$3.92 CA$5.37

-15.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$4.28 CA$5.87

-12.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.09

$2.74 CA$3.75

9.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.45

$2.64 CA$3.62

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CA$3.16

$2.28 CA$3.13

0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.03

$1.71 CA$2.34

-13.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.85 CA$14.87

$13.39 CA$18.35

-18.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 CA$17.96

$10.95 CA$15.00

19.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 CA$2.84

$3.00 CA$4.11

-30.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CA$3.40

$3.60 CA$4.94

-31.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.28

$2.82 CA$3.86

-14.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 CA$87.0

$75.1 CA$103

-15.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 CA$3.14

$3.52 CA$4.82

-34.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 CA$2.39

$1.46 CA$2.00

19.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.76 CA$42.15

$34.29 CA$46.97

-10.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.51

$1.19 CA$1.63

-7.56%

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

$25.3K CA$34.6K

$25.1K CA$34.3K

0.78%

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

$20.2K CA$27.6K

$21.9K CA$30.0K

-7.97%

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

$135 CA$184

$74.7 CA$102

80.25%

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

$54.1 CA$74.2

$35.83 CA$49.09

51.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 CA$77.9

$43.53 CA$59.6

30.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.82 CA$57.3

$43.06 CA$59.0

-2.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 CA$23.15

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.31

$11.10 CA$15.21

0.72%

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

$559 CA$766

$609 CA$834

-8.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.0K

$5,925 CA$8,117

85.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$75.2

$62.8 CA$86.0

-12.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 CA$52.2

$44.85 CA$61.5

-15.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 CA$116

$101 CA$138

-16.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 CA$111

$118 CA$162

-31.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 CA$1,621

$1,221 CA$1,673

-3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 CA$1,586

$955 CA$1,308

21.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 CA$2,784

$2,105 CA$2,883

-3.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,846 CA$2,529

$1,600 CA$2,192

15.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,827 CA$6,612

$5,308 CA$7,272

-9.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,741 CA$5,124

$4,045 CA$5,542

-7.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,136

$3,031 CA$4,152

-0.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.01

30.74%

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

Last update for St. Thomas: April 27, 2026

Last update for Montreal: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,183 in St. Thomas versus $1,221 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 0% 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 $75.0 in St. Thomas versus $75.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $391 – making St. Thomas 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. Thomas vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. Thomas costs about 11% more than Montreal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,480 per month in St. Thomas and $3,132 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 13% cheaper in St. Thomas – 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 $75.0 in St. Thomas and $75.0 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 $2,088, than in St. Thomas at $2,320. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Thomas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montreal costs $2,088 versus $2,320 in St. Thomas. 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. Thomas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.