Similarities and differences between Ontario and Quebec

Ontario and Quebec are next-door neighbours but feel meaningfully different to live in. Quebec wins on housing affordability, childcare costs, electricity rates, and university tuition. Ontario wins on income taxes, job market size, English-language accessibility, and average salaries. Here’s a full side-by-side comparison with 2026 numbers.

Ontario vs Quebec: Full Comparison (2026)

Housing Costs: Ontario vs Quebec

Housing is the most significant financial difference between the two provinces. Quebec’s housing market — while it has risen significantly since 2020 — remains well below Ontario’s for both renting and buying.

Buying a home

• Toronto average: ~$1,100,000
• Ottawa average: ~$680,000
• Hamilton / Kitchener average: ~$700,000–$850,000
• Montreal average: ~$550,000
• Quebec City average: ~$380,000
• Smaller Quebec cities (Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières): ~$280,000–$340,000

For families who want a detached home with a yard, Quebec offers dramatically more for the money. A budget that buys a small condo in Toronto can purchase a large family home in Montreal — which is partly why moving from Ontario to Quebec has become an increasingly common decision for families priced out of the GTA.

Renting

• Toronto 1BR: $2,400 – $2,800/month
• Ottawa 1BR: $2,100 – $2,400/month
• Montreal 1BR: $1,800 – $2,400/month (Plateau, downtown)
• Quebec City 1BR: $1,200 – $1,700/month

Income Taxes: Ontario vs Quebec

Quebec has the highest provincial income tax rates in Canada. Ontario is meaningfully lower — a difference that compounds significantly at higher incomes. Here’s how the gap plays out:

Note: Approximate provincial tax only, before deductions. Consult a tax professional for precise figures.

Higher Quebec taxes are partly offset by lower-cost services. But for anyone earning above $80,000, the annual tax difference is substantial. Quebec’s top provincial rate of 25.75% is nearly double Ontario’s 13.16% — the full picture of how all Canadian provinces compare is laid out in our province by province tax guide.

Childcare: Quebec’s Biggest Advantage for Families

This is Quebec’s most compelling advantage for families with young children. Quebec’s subsidized childcare program (CPE — Centres de la petite enfance) provides regulated daycare at heavily subsidized rates:

• Quebec subsidized rate: ~$10–$15/day for families earning up to ~$100,000
• Quebec unsubsidized (private daycare): $30–$50/day
• Ontario average: $45–$65/day in most major cities
• Annual difference for one child (subsidized QC vs. Ontario): $8,000–$12,000 in savings

For a family with two young children, the Quebec childcare subsidy alone can more than offset the higher provincial income tax — making Quebec the financially superior choice for families in this life stage.

Electricity and Utilities

Quebec’s hydroelectric power system (Hydro-Québec) gives residents significantly lower electricity rates than Ontario:

• Quebec electricity: ~$0.07–$0.09/kWh — among the lowest in North America
• Ontario electricity: ~$0.12–$0.14/kWh (time-of-use rates vary)
• Annual difference for an average household: $600–$1,200

Quebec residents also benefit from publicly funded water services — most municipalities don’t charge separately for water, unlike many Ontario municipalities.

Language: The Most Important Practical Difference

This is the factor that matters most for English-speaking Canadians considering a move to Quebec. Under Quebec’s language laws (including Bill 96), French is the required language for most professional and civic interactions:

• Most employers in Quebec require functional French for professional roles
• Government services, legal documents, and business communications are in French
• Children in public schools must be educated in French (with limited exceptions)
• Montreal is the most bilingual city in Quebec, particularly in neighborhoods like Plateau-Mont-Royal, Westmount, and Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

This language barrier is one of the primary reasons anglophone Canadians tend to leave Quebec for Ontario — moving from Montreal to Toronto is consistently one of the most common interprovincial routes in Canada, driven largely by English-speaking professionals seeking an easier career environment.

Car Insurance

One area where Quebec has a clear financial advantage is car insurance. Quebec operates a public auto insurer (SAAQ) for bodily injury claims, which keeps premiums significantly lower:

• Quebec annual average: $800 – $1,200
• Ontario annual average: $1,800 – $2,800 (highest in Canada)

Ontario’s private auto insurance market consistently produces the highest premiums in the country — a real ongoing cost that often surprises people moving to Ontario from other provinces.

University Tuition

Quebec domestic students pay among the lowest university tuition in North America:

• Quebec residents: ~$3,000 – $5,000/year for most programs
• Ontario residents: ~$7,000 – $12,000/year for similar programs
• Out-of-province students studying in Quebec: ~$9,000 – $14,000/year (higher rate applies)

The tuition gap narrows significantly for non-Quebec residents attending Quebec universities — but for families who establish Quebec residency, the savings over a four-year degree can exceed $30,000 per child.

Moving Between Ontario and Quebec

The distance between Toronto and Montreal is approximately 540 km — about a 5-hour drive. If you’re weighing up a move in either direction, Centennial Moving handles the Toronto to Montreal route and the reverse with full door-to-door service. Get a free quote and we’ll have an estimate ready within 24 hours.

References:

https://turbotax.intuit.ca/tax-resources/ontario-income-tax-calculator.jsp

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1110023901

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-basic-income-pilot

https://turbotax.intuit.ca/tax-resources/quebec-income-tax-calculator.jsp

https://www.revenuquebec.ca/en/citizens/income-tax-return/completing-your-income-tax-return/income-tax-rates/