Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Montreal leads with a cost index of 104 and rent of $1,700/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Montreal leads with a cost index of 104 and rent of $1,700/month.
Montreal: cost index 104 (-2 vs national avg 106), rent $1,700/month.
Quebec region average cost index: 109. Montreal is -5 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 64/100 — safety 64, healthcare 76, walkability 78.
Safety score: 64/100 (crime rate 48.5/1k). National average: 63/100.
One stat flips the usual narrative: Montreal has a cost index of 104 — 2 points below the Canada national average of 106. Median income is $66,000 with rent at $1,700/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 31%. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
On quality of life, Montreal scores a composite score of 64/100 — reflecting its safety (64), healthcare (76), and walkability (78) metrics. Zooming out, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
Montreal — cost index 104, rent $1,700/mo, income $66,000, QoL 64/100.
Calgary — cost index 114, rent $2,050/mo, income $86,500, QoL 61/100.
Montreal has a cost index of 104 (national avg: 106), rent $1,700/mo, median income $66,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 64/100.
The Quebec region of average QoL score is 63/100. Montreal leads with 64/100, 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.
Montreal: cost index 104, rent $1,700/mo, income $66,000/yr, QoL 64/100. Calgary: cost index 114, rent $2,050/mo, income $86,500/yr, QoL 61/100.
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.