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harmonybudget

Quebec · 2025

Cost of living in Montreal

Big-city amenities at noticeably lower rents than Toronto or Vancouver. Cheap Hydro-Québec power and a strong transit system keep fixed costs down — a major reason Montreal punches above its weight on affordability.

58/ 100
Cost of Living Score
Around average
Higher = more affordable
Typical monthly essentials
$2,345/mo
6% below the average city in our dataset

What it costs each month in Montreal

Typical figures for a one-person household. Your own number depends on your housing, habits, and income — that’s what the Cost of Living Score assessment works out.

Rent
Average one-bedroom
$1,700/mo
Groceries
Single adult
$380/mo
Transit
Adult monthly pass
$100/mo
Utilities
Hydro, heat & internet
$165/mo
Total essentials
$2,345/mo

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How Montreal compares

How this score is calculated

The Cost of Living Score adds up a city’s typical monthly essentials — rent, groceries, transit, and utilities — and compares that total to the average across the Canadian cities we track. A city at the average scores around 50; cheaper cities score higher, pricier ones lower. Higher always means more affordable.

Sources: Rent from CMHC Fall 2024 + Rentals.ca one-bedroom averages; groceries from Canada's Food Price Report 2025 adjusted for QC price levels; transit is the STM adult monthly pass; utilities reflect Hydro-Québec's low rates plus CRTC internet pricing. Figures are typical city-level estimates for a one-person household, not a personal budget, and shift over time.