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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Quebec for 2026. Quebec City leads with a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,350/month.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quebec City | 96 | $1,350 | $63,500 |
| 2 | Montreal | 104 | $1,700 | $66,000 |
| 3 | Laval | 101 | $1,500 | $67,500 |
Quebec City ranks #1 with a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,350/month.
The median city is Montreal — cost index 104, rent $1,700/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 100 (-6 vs national average of 106).
Average quality of life: 65/100. Top: Quebec City at 70/100.
Safest city: Quebec City (78/100 safety score).
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Quebec City stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 96 and median income of $63,500, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Canada. Financially, that's significant.
On quality of life, Quebec City leads with a composite score of 70/100 — reflecting its safety (78), healthcare (78), and walkability (68) metrics. And there's one more thing: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
Quebec City — cost index 96, rent $1,350/mo, income $63,500, QoL 70/100.
Montreal — cost index 104, rent $1,700/mo, income $66,000, QoL 64/100.
Laval — cost index 101, rent $1,500/mo, income $67,500, QoL 61/100.
Quebec City ranks #1 in Quebec for this analysis with a cost index of 96 and median income of $63,500.
The region average QoL score is 61/100. Quebec City leads with 70/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA.
Quebec City (ranked #1) has a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,350/mo. Laval (#3) has index 101 and rent $1,500/mo — a 5-point gap.
This analysis uses data from Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA to rank cities in Canada. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.