How much does a Québec trip cost? Real CAD budgets
Updated:
How much does a trip to Québec cost per day?
Budget travellers spend around CAD 110-150 per day (hostel, transit, simple meals). Mid-range is CAD 200-320 per day (3-star hotel, car, sit-down restaurants). Luxury runs CAD 450-700 per day. All prices include Québec's combined 15% sales tax (TPS + TVQ) and the customary 15-18% restaurant tip.
The tax issue nobody warns you about
Before diving into budgets, here is the single most important thing to understand about spending money in Québec: prices listed on menus, price tags, and websites almost never include tax. And Québec has two taxes stacked on top of each other.
TPS (Taxe sur les produits et services): Canada’s federal Goods and Services Tax, 5%. TVQ (Taxe de vente du Québec): Québec’s provincial sales tax, 9.975%.
Combined: approximately 15%. On a CAD 200 hotel room, you will actually pay CAD 230 before any resort fees or service charges. On a CAD 30 restaurant meal, your bill will show roughly CAD 34.50 before tip — and you’re expected to add 15-18% on top of that.
Budget for 15% tax on virtually everything, plus 15-18% tip on restaurant meals and taxi fares. This is not optional — it’s the expected social contract in Québec.
Budget tiers (per person per day)
Budget: CAD 110-150 per day
This assumes hostel dormitory or budget guesthouse accommodation, public transport within cities, and eating at local cafés, supermarkets, and poutineries rather than sit-down restaurants.
Accommodation: CAD 35-60 (hostel dorm: Montréal has several good ones around CAD 40-50/night; Québec City hostels around CAD 45-60) Food: CAD 30-50 (café breakfast CAD 8-12, lunch at épicerie or food hall CAD 12-16, dinner at budget restaurant or BYOB CAD 18-25, plus tax and tip) Transport: CAD 10-20 (STM metro day pass Montréal CAD 11, RTC bus in Québec City comparable) Activities: CAD 15-30 (mix of free activities — parks, markets, waterfront — and one paid activity every 2-3 days)
Real examples at this budget tier:
- A poutine at Chez Ashton (Québec City institution) costs around CAD 9-12 before tax
- Bagel at St-Viateur (Montréal) costs CAD 2 per bagel
- Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier entry: CAD 9.25 per adult
- STM monthly pass (Montréal): CAD 101 — if staying a full month
Mid-range: CAD 200-320 per day
This assumes a 3-star hotel or quality B&B, a rental car (shared between two people), and dinner at sit-down restaurants most evenings.
Accommodation: CAD 90-150 (3-star hotel Montréal: CAD 100-140/night; 3-star Québec City: CAD 110-160/night; auberges in regions CAD 90-130) Food: CAD 55-85 (café breakfast CAD 12-18, lunch CAD 18-25, dinner at restaurant CAD 35-55 including tax and 17% tip) Transport: CAD 35-60 (car rental: economy car CAD 60-80/day — divide by 2 if travelling as a couple; plus petrol CAD 1.60-1.80/litre in 2026) Activities: CAD 40-80 (one or two paid activities per day — a walking tour, national park entry, kayak rental)
Real examples:
- 3-star hotel Old Montréal: CAD 140-180/night in summer, CAD 110-140 in shoulder season
- Car rental economy (Discount Auto): CAD 55-70/day (before insurance — budget CAD 70-95/day with CDW)
- Old Québec food tour with tastings: CAD 80-100 per person
- Montmorency Falls with cable car: CAD 25 per adult
Luxury: CAD 450-700 per day
This assumes 4-5 star hotels or boutique inns, fine dining, and premium activities.
Accommodation: CAD 200-350 (Château Frontenac rooms: CAD 280-450/night in summer; Auberge Saint-Antoine (Québec City): CAD 250-380; Hôtel Nelligan (Montréal): CAD 200-320) Food: CAD 120-200 (fine dining tasting menus CAD 80-150 per person + wine + tax + tip) Transport: CAD 50-80 (premium car rental or private transfers) Activities: CAD 80-150 (helicopter tour, private guided experiences, spa days)
Real examples:
- Hôtel de Glace overnight experience: CAD 250 per person
- Scenic helicopter tour Quebec City (15 minutes): CAD 160 per person
- 5-course gourmet food tour Old Québec: CAD 100 per person
- Strøm Nordic Spa, Sherbrooke: CAD 60-90 per person
- Île d’Orléans e-bike tasting tour: CAD 80 per person
Budget by category (mid-range baseline)
Accommodation costs
| Type | Montréal | Québec City | Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm | CAD 40-55 | CAD 45-65 | CAD 35-50 |
| Budget hotel (2*) | CAD 80-110 | CAD 90-130 | CAD 70-100 |
| Mid-range hotel (3*) | CAD 120-160 | CAD 130-180 | CAD 100-140 |
| Boutique hotel | CAD 160-250 | CAD 180-300 | CAD 140-220 |
| Luxury hotel (4-5*) | CAD 220-400 | CAD 250-450 | CAD 200-350 |
Summer (July-August) adds 10-20% to these prices. Carnaval period in Québec City adds 30-50%.
Food costs
| Meal type | Cost range (CAD, incl. tax) |
|---|---|
| Coffee + croissant (café) | CAD 6-10 |
| Breakfast at café | CAD 10-18 |
| Poutine (takeaway) | CAD 10-15 |
| Lunch (local resto, BYOB) | CAD 18-28 |
| Dinner (mid-range restaurant, incl. tip) | CAD 40-65 |
| Fine dining dinner (incl. wine, tip) | CAD 100-180 |
| Grocery shop (self-catering day) | CAD 15-25 |
| Beer at bar | CAD 7-10 |
| Wine (restaurant, BYOB markup) | CAD 15-30 per bottle |
Transport costs
| Item | Cost (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Montréal metro single ticket | CAD 3.75 |
| Montréal STM day pass | CAD 11 |
| 747 Express bus YUL → downtown | CAD 11 |
| Airport taxi (flat rate to downtown Montréal) | CAD 41 |
| Economy car rental (per day, no insurance) | CAD 55-75 |
| CDW/LDW insurance (per day) | CAD 15-25 |
| Via Rail Montréal → Québec City | CAD 45-110 |
| Petrol | CAD 1.60-1.80/litre |
| Parking (Old Montréal per day) | CAD 20-35 |
| Uber (airport to central Montréal) | CAD 35-55 |
Activities
| Activity | Cost per person (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Walking tour Old Québec (2h) | CAD 30-40 |
| Walking tour Old Montréal | CAD 25-35 |
| National park entry (per day) | CAD 8-10 |
| Montmorency Falls cable car | CAD 25 |
| Whale watching Tadoussac (3h) | CAD 75-120 |
| Hôtel de Glace entry (self-guided) | CAD 40 |
| Dogsledding (1.5-2h) | CAD 130-150 |
| E-bike tour Île d’Orléans | CAD 80 |
| Saguenay Fjord cruise (3h) | CAD 36 |
| Helicopter tour Québec City (15 min) | CAD 160 |
Seasonal price adjustments
| Period | Hotels | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| July-August peak | +15-25% | No change |
| Carnaval (late Jan to mid-Feb, Québec City) | +30-50% | +10-15% for Carnaval events |
| Christmas-New Year | +15-20% | +10% |
| June, September | Baseline | Baseline |
| October | -15-20% | Baseline |
| April-May | -30-40% | Some activities closed |
Common budget mistakes
Underestimating the 15% tax. Build it into every price you see. A hotel advertised at CAD 150/night costs CAD 172.50 before any city tax or resort fee.
Not budgeting for tipping. In Québec restaurants, the tip is culturally obligatory for table service (15-18%). Forgetting this will make your meal cost 15-18% more than planned. See our tipping guide.
Car rental shock. Economy cars start around CAD 55-70/day before insurance. Adding CDW/LDW (recommended — your home credit card’s rental insurance may not cover Canada), regional surcharges, winter tyre compliance, and one-way fees can double the base price. Budget CAD 80-120/day all-in for a reliable mid-range estimate.
Tourist restaurant premium. Restaurants in the rue Saint-Louis area of Old Québec and along the main tourist streets of Old Montréal charge 40-60% more than equivalents in residential neighbourhoods. For quality and value, explore Saint-Roch (Québec City) and Plateau Mont-Royal or Mile End (Montréal).
Sample 7-day budget (mid-range, couple)
| Category | Total (CAD) | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (7 nights at CAD 150/night) | 1,050 | 525 |
| Food (7 days at CAD 70/day pp) | 980 | 490 |
| Car rental (7 days at CAD 90/day) | 630 | 315 |
| Petrol | 120 | 60 |
| Activities | 400 | 200 |
| Incidentals / gifts | 200 | 100 |
| Total | 3,380 | 1,690 |
At 2026 exchange rates, that’s approximately EUR 1,115 / USD 1,253 per person for the week — excluding flights.
Plan your trip
- Canadian dollar tips for Europeans — exchange rates, cards, ATMs
- Tipping in Québec — how much and when
- How to rent a car in Québec — costs, insurance, winter tyres
- Best time to visit Québec — seasonal pricing context
- 7-day Québec classic loop itinerary
- 5-day Montréal + Québec City
- Québec travel insurance — healthcare costs without coverage
- Québec public holidays and festival calendar — price impact dates
Frequently asked questions about How much does a Québec trip cost? Real CAD budgets
Why do prices in Québec look lower than the final bill?
Québec adds two layers of sales tax to most purchases: the federal GST (TPS) at 5% and the provincial QST (TVQ) at 9.975%, totalling roughly 15%. These are almost never included in advertised prices. A CAD 20 meal will appear as CAD 23 before tip on your bill.How much should I budget for a week in Québec?
A week (7 nights) breaks down approximately as follows: budget CAD 770-1,050, mid-range CAD 1,400-2,240, luxury CAD 3,150-4,900 — all per person, excluding flights. Add 30-40% more if visiting during Carnaval (late January to mid-February) or peak summer (July to early August).Is Québec more expensive than other Canadian provinces?
Québec is generally mid-range for Canada. It's cheaper than Vancouver or Toronto but comparable to Ottawa. Accommodation in Montréal is cheaper than Toronto; Québec City is slightly cheaper than Montréal overall. The province has some of Canada's best value restaurants outside the tourist centres.What is the tipping norm in Québec restaurants?
15-18% is standard at sit-down restaurants. 15% is the minimum expected for normal service; 20% for exceptional service. For takeaway, 10% is generous but appreciated. See our full [tipping guide](/guides/tipping-in-quebec/) for all situations.Are activities and tours expensive in Québec?
Tours range widely. A 2-hour walking tour of Old Québec runs CAD 30-40. A whale watching cruise from Tadoussac costs CAD 75-120. A dogsledding session near Mont-Tremblant costs CAD 130-150. Entry to national parks is CAD 8-10 per adult per day. Many free activities exist (hiking, cycling, beaches, markets).Is Québec expensive for food?
It depends where you eat. A good lunch at a local café in Saint-Roch (Québec City) or Plateau Mont-Royal (Montréal) costs CAD 15-20. Tourist-area restaurants in Old Québec or Old Montréal charge CAD 25-45 for a main course. Groceries at IGA or Metro are comparable to European supermarket prices.