Please complete your profile to unlock commenting and other important features.

Please select your date of birth for special perks on your birthday. Your username will be your unique profile link and will be publicly used in comments.
MTL Blog Pro

This is a Pro feature.

Time to level up your local game with MTL Blog Pro.

Pro

$5/month

$40/year

  • Everything in the Free plan
  • Ad-free reading and browsing
  • Unlimited access to all content including AI summaries
  • Directly support our local and national reporting and become a Patron
  • Cancel anytime.

canada cost of living

A recent ranking of the countries with the best quality of life by dropped and Canada's score has certainly seen some better days.

Numbeo, a Serbian-based crowd-sourced online database that compiles information on perceived consumer prices, real estate prices, and metrics related to the quality of life, released its annual ranking and Canada placed 25th overall.

Keep readingShow less

To the surprise of no one, the cost of living has had a major impact on people's spending habits. For many Canadians, prioritizing savings or seeking financial aid has become essential. The Quebec government offers a range of financial aid programs for low-income residents including a solidarity tax credit, social assistance, and the basic income program, to name a few. Additionally, residents have the option of applying to the provincial Shelter Allowance Program, designed to assist those struggling to cover their rent.

The income required for a single Montrealer to live comfortably rose by 9% between 2022 and 2023, according to the Institut de Recherche et d’Informations Socioéconomiques (IRIS), which published the 2023 edition of its sustainable income report earlier this year. Considering factors such as annual rent, food, utilities (Hydro), transportation, phone, and internet services, IRIS determined that a Montrealer living alone would require an income of $32,252 in 2023. However, this figure may not reflect the reality for everyone in Quebec.

Keep readingShow less

When it comes to grocery shopping in Montreal, most of us do what we can to save money where we can, because life is getting more expensive here (like everywhere else). Nearly everyone has theories about where the savings are at the major chains and independent outlets, and nearly everyone has an opinion about Costco.

We've uncovered some of the best deals at Costco that will make both your wallet and belly equally as content. While Costco is known for its samples and cheap eats, the wholesaler offers products at a lower price point when compared to other Quebec grocery stores such as Walmart, IGA, and Maxi.

Keep readingShow less

With record inflation in Canada pushing up the cost of pretty much everything, it’s no surprise the Canadian housing market is also absolutely bonkers.

In the most recent edition of the Demographia International Housing Affordability (DIHA) report, the cost of buying a home in many Canadian cities has become "severely unaffordable," Montreal included!

Keep readingShow less

There's no way easy way to put it, but living in Canada is getting expensive. Statistics Canada announced on January 19 that inflation is not only up, but on the rise, increasing in December 2021 to its highest rate since 1991.

The federal agency revealed that the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which "represents changes in prices as experienced by Canadian consumers," was up 4.8% compared to the year before. That's also compared to a 4.7% year-over-year increase in November 2021.

Keep readingShow less