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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Montreal vs St. John's in 2026: cost index 98 vs 90, rent $1,500 vs $1,100, income $62,000 vs $62,000, QoL 65 vs 64.
Montreal vs St. John's in 2026: cost index 98 vs 90, rent $1,500 vs $1,100, income $62,000 vs $62,000, QoL 65 vs 64.
Montreal ranks #1 with a cost index of 98 and rent of $1,500/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 94 (-7 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 65/100. Top: Montreal at 65/100.
Safest city: St. John's (66/100 safety score).
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Montreal stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 98 and median income of $62,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Canada. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
On quality of life, Montreal leads with a composite score of 65/100 — reflecting its safety (64), healthcare (76), and walkability (78) metrics. Layer in taxes, though, and the math changes. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. Montreal leads with 65/100, reflecting its 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.
Montreal (ranked #1) has a cost index of 98 and rent of $1,500/mo. St. John's (#2) has index 90 and rent $1,100/mo — a 8-point gap.