cost of living

homes for sale in montreal

Here's the yearly salary you'd need to buy a house in these 25 Quebec cities

Home prices in Quebec haven't stopped climbing, but where you're looking still makes a massive difference in what you'll need to earn to get in the door.

According to the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers' (QPAREB) latest residential barometer, covering the second quarter of 2026, the median price of a single-family home across the province reached $523,250, up 5% from a year earlier. That growth came even as overall sales slipped.

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montreal rent

Rent prices have fallen across Canada, but not in Montreal — Here's why

Montreal tenants have seen life get a lot more expensive over the past few years.

Along with inflation at the grocery store and an overall bump in the cost of living, rent prices have also been climbing, even as much of the country is finally getting a bit of relief. In fact, one report suggests that while rents are cooling across most of Canada, Montreal is still moving in the opposite direction.

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cost of living

How much does it really cost to live in Montreal vs Vancouver? We did the math

Montrealers love to complain about how expensive things have gotten, and fair enough, rent prices and the overall cost of living here have climbed a lot in recent years.

But zoom out to the rest of the country and Montreal still looks like a bargain, especially next to Vancouver, which routinely lands at the top of the list of Canada's most expensive cities thanks to sky-high rents and some of the priciest real estate anywhere in the country.

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grocery prices

We checked the price of butter at 7 Montreal grocery stores & the gap was wider than expected

Grocery prices have been a hot topic in Quebec (and throughout Canada) for a few years now. With inflation eating into everything, including the weekly supermarket run, everyday staples like eggs, milk, cheese and butter have climbed to the point where you actually feel them on the receipt.

Butter in particular, has had a rough stretch. According to Statistics Canada figures, the average price of a 454-gram block rose about 41% between 2019 and 2025, and as of April 2026 it was still sitting around $5.99 nationally. For something that used to be an afterthought in the cart, that adds up fast.

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cost of living

These common things cost way more in Canada than almost anywhere else in the world

Canada has a reputation for being one of the more livable countries on the planet, and in a lot of ways it is. But affordable? That's gotten harder to argue.

According to the latest Cost of Living Index from Numbeo, Canada now ranks 31st most expensive country in the world in 2026. That's a few spots lower than it placed in 2023, but the slide in the rankings doesn't necessarily mean things have gotten cheaper here. It mostly reflects how quickly costs have risen elsewhere, too.

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statistics canada

Canadians are leaving the country in record numbers and nearly half are from one province

More Canadians packed up and left the country in 2025 than at any point in over a decade. And one province is driving the bulk of the departures.

According to liv.rent's 2026 Canada Rental Market Trend Report, which draws on data from Statistics Canada, 95,733 Canadians emigrated in the first three quarters of 2025. That's up 17% from 2024 and the highest level since 2011. The rise was widespread too: 11 of 13 provinces and territories posted double-digit year-over-year increases in residents leaving the country.

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cost of living

We compared the cost of living in Montreal vs Ottawa and the gap is kind of shocking

When most people picture an expensive Canadian city, Ottawa doesn't usually top the list. It's the capital, sure, but it has a reputation as a quieter, more manageable place to live compared to a sprawling metropolis like Montreal.

What it lacks in population size, though, it more than makes up for in expensive living costs.

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montreal news

The top cities to buy real estate in Canada were ranked and Montreal did surprisingly well

Between inflation, rising rent, and the cost of living, owning your own house remains a dream for the majority of folks.

But if you've been thinking about buying a home in Canada but aren't sure where your money actually goes the furthest, a new report might help you figure that out.

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cost of living

How much cheaper is it to live in Quebec City vs Montreal? We did the math

Wondering whether life in Montreal has gotten too expensive, or whether Quebec City might actually be the smarter move financially?

The two cities share a province, a language, and a lot of the same cold-weather complaints, but when it comes to the cost of living, they're more different than most people assume.

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minimum wage quebec

Quebec's minimum wage just got a boost — Here's how it compares to other provinces

Quebec workers are starting May with a bigger paycheque.

As of today, the province's minimum wage has risen from $16.10 to $16.60 per hour, a 50-cent increase that works out to a 3.11% bump. That's larger than last year's raise, which came in at 35 cents. For anyone working full-time hours, the change adds up to roughly $687 in additional earnings over the course of a year.

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minimum wage quebec

Quebec's minimum wage is rising this week — Here's exactly what it means for your paycheque

Many Quebec workers are days away from earning a bigger paycheque.

Starting May 1, the province's minimum wage rises from $16.10 to $16.60 per hour. That's a 50-cent increase, or a 3.11% bump, and it's actually larger than last year's raise, which came in at 35 cents. For anyone working full-time hours, the math works out to roughly $687 in additional take-home pay over the course of a year. That's not nothing, given where grocery and rent costs sit right now.

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minimum wage quebec

Quebec's minimum wage is going up next week — but how does it compare to the rest of Canada?

Quebec workers are about a week away from a bigger paycheque.

Starting May 1, the province's minimum wage will rise from $16.10 to $16.60 per hour — a 50-cent increase that works out to a 3.11% bump. That's larger than last year's raise, which came in at 35 cents. For anyone working full-time hours, the change adds up to roughly $687 in additional take-home pay over the course of a year.

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