New data from Statistics Canada breaks it all down — and depending on what you're buying, you could be paying a lot more (or a lot less) than shoppers in other provinces.
The latest numbers reveal that as of January 2025, Quebec sits just above the national average for grocery costs overall, but when you dig into specific items, what you put in your cart could make a huge difference.
Fresh fruits and vegetables? You're probably paying less than anywhere else in Canada. But beef or pork? That's another story.
Here's a look at the biggest grocery price differences in Quebec compared to the rest of the country.
How prices are counted
To get a clear picture of grocery costs across the country, Statistics Canada collects data from thousands of grocery stores every month. This information is pulled directly from transactions at checkout, reflecting the most popular items shoppers are buying that month and the price they're actually paying for them (including any active discounts or promotions).
It's worth noting that these figures aren't the same as the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which focuses on tracking price changes over time for directly comparable items. Instead, this data is specifically about what people are buying and spending in a given month — and since factors like brand availability and product quality can vary from province to province, they can affect average prices.
How expensive are groceries in Quebec?
According to the latest data, the total cost of a grocery basket filled with 109 of the most popular items in January 2025 comes to $677.46 in Quebec.
That puts the province just 43 cents above the national average of $677.03, but still decently lower than B.C., which is the most expensive of the 10 provinces at $725.79.
On the other hand, Ontario has the cheapest grocery basket in the country at $666.65.
While that might not seem like a big difference overall, it's when you start looking at individual items that things get interesting.
The good news: Quebec has some of the cheapest groceries in Canada
Looking at items individually, Quebec actually has the cheapest prices of any province for about one third of all items measured.
In particular, the province has the cheapest produce in the entire country — the vast majority of fresh fruits and vegetables on the list are lowest in Quebec, and sometimes by a huge margin. For example:
- A head of broccoli is around $2.13 in Quebec — less than half of what you'll pay in B.C. ($4.78), Manitoba ($4.59), Saskatchewan ($4.54) or Alberta ($4.53).
- A 10-lb bag of potatoes costs over 70% more in Manitoba ($7.77), Saskatchewan ($7.73), B.C. ($7.61) or Alberta ($7.55) than it does in Quebec ($4.36).
- A cucumber averages $1.69 in Quebec, while in all four Maritime provinces, it's between $2.58 and $2.74. While that might not seem like a big difference when individual prices are so low, it's a jump of over 50%!
- It's not just home-grown produce either — an avocado costs $1.86 in Quebec, compared to $2.47 in B.C. (47% more).
But it's not just fruits and veggies — Quebec also has some of the cheapest prices in Canada for pantry staples and protein. Here are some of the other items that are surprisingly cheap in Quebec (compared to other provinces, at least):
- Chicken: drumsticks cost around $5.65 per kg in Quebec, while chicken breasts are $12.20/kg — compared to $7.96 and $16.81 in B.C. (around 40% more). A whole chicken costs $5.20 per kg in Quebec, while in Alberta, it's $6.93. (Oddly, though, Quebec has the most expensive chicken thighs in Canada — they're $13.69/kg, compared to $9.28 in Newfoundland.)
- Canned baked beans are cheapest in Quebec and a whopping 60% pricier in Nova Scotia.
- Wieners are also cheapest here at just $3.18 for a 400-g package, while in B.C. you'll pay nearly 50% more ($4.66).
- A litre of milk is $2.79 in Quebec, which is much cheaper than Ontario at $3.81 — though Manitoba beats everyone at just $1.98.
- Personal care items are also a bargain in Quebec — toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo are all the cheapest in Canada.
- Other basics like eggs, block cheese, flour, sugar, canned tuna, dry beans and legumes, ground beef and even meatless burgers are also the lowest in the country here.
So if you're shopping in Quebec, sticking to fresh produce and dairy might help keep your bill lower than in most other provinces. But it's not all good news...
The bad news: Some items cost way more in Quebec
While Quebec keeps produce prices low, some meats, pantry staples and household essentials are among the most expensive in the country. If you're buying beef, pork or even something as simple as pasta sauce, you could be paying way more than shoppers elsewhere.
The difference is particularly stark when it comes to meat:
- Pork shoulder is $9.26 per kg in Quebec, making it the most expensive in Canada. In Ontario, it's $5.14 — nearly half the price.
- Chicken thighs are $13.69 a kilo in Quebec, while in Newfoundland, they're about a third less at $9.28.
- Beef rib cuts cost a whopping $36.75/kg in Quebec, but in Ontario, they're just $25.50.
- Beef top sirloin is $25.29 per kg in Quebec, compared to $21.80 in Saskatchewan.
Some non-meat essentials are also noticeably pricier in Quebec:
- A jar of pasta sauce is $3.96 in Quebec — almost a full dollar more expensive than anywhere else in Canada and over 40% more than in Saskatchewan ($2.76).
- A loaf of white bread averages $3.82 in Quebec, compared to $3.01 in Ontario.
- Peanuts and almonds are most expensive in Quebec, each setting you back around 25% more than in Ontario.
- Laundry detergent is most expensive in Quebec at $14.72 for a 4.43-L jug, compared to $12.40 in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- White rice costs $10.50 for a 2-kg bag in Quebec — 25% more expensive than in B.C., where it's $8.36.
The bottom line
While Quebec is far from the most expensive place to buy groceries in Canada, it's not the cheapest either — and it really all depends on what you're putting in your cart.
If you're loading up on fresh fruits and vegetables, Quebec is one of the best places in the country to shop. But if you're buying meats or certain pantry staples, you could be paying way more than others across the country — and even compared to neighbours like Ontario and New Brunswick.
For now, one thing is clear: Grocery prices in Canada are far from equal, and where you live can seriously impact how much you're paying at the checkout.
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