Buying a home in Quebec isn’t what it used to be. Depending on where you’re looking, prices can feel either surprisingly manageable or completely out of reach, and your salary might be the biggest factor.
A recent report from the Association professionnelle des courtiers immobiliers du Québec (APCIQ) breaks down just how much you’d need to earn per year to buy a median-priced single-family home in 24 cities across the province.
According to APCIQ’s Q2 2025 barometer, released last week, the median price of a house in Quebec hit $500,000 this spring. That spike came alongside a 12% jump in single-family home sales between April and June. But prices vary widely by region. In some areas, you could still find a house for well under the provincial average. In others (like Montreal or Saint-Sauveur) you’ll need a six-figure salary just to keep up.
The salary estimates are based on the general guideline that housing costs shouldn’t exceed 35% of your gross income, using standard mortgage rates in Canada.
If you’re wondering where you can realistically buy in this market, here’s how far your income would need to stretch in each city:
Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Rouyn-Noranda
Median price: $335,000
Minimum annual salary: $63,787
Val-d’Or
Median price: $390,000
Minimum annual salary: $74,260
Bas-Saint-Laurent
Rivière-du-Loup
Median price: $349,700
Minimum annual salary: $66,586
Rimouski
Median price: $361,750
Minimum annual salary: $68,881
Capitale-Nationale
Quebec City
Median price: $450,000
Minimum annual salary: $85,684
Centre-du-Québec
Victoriaville
Median price: $335,000
Minimum annual salary: $63,787
Drummondville
Median price: $399,000
Minimum annual salary: $75,973
Chaudière-Appalaches
Thetford Mines
Median price: $222,500
Minimum annual salary: $42,366
Côte-Nord
Baie-Comeau
Median price: $265,000
Minimum annual salary: $50,459
Sept-Îles
Median price: $281,000
Minimum annual salary: $53,505
Estrie
Sherbrooke
Median price: $467,000
Minimum annual salary: $88,921
Granby
Median price: $490,000
Minimum annual salary: $93,301
Lanaudière
Joliette
Median price: $470,000
Minimum annual salary: $89,492
Laurentides
Mont-Tremblant
Median price: $500,000
Minimum annual salary: $95,205
Sainte-Adèle
Median price: $545,000
Minimum annual salary: $103,322
Saint-Sauveur
Median price: $620,000
Minimum annual salary: $116,851
Mauricie
Shawinigan
Median price: $280,000
Minimum annual salary: $53,315
Trois-Rivières
Median price: $380,000
Minimum annual salary: $72,356
Montreal
Montreal (Island)
Median price: $625,000
Minimum annual salary: $117,753
Montérégie
Sorel-Tracy
Median price: $369,000
Minimum annual salary: $70,261
Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
Median price: $452,750
Minimum annual salary: $86,208
Saint-Hyacinthe
Median price: $490,000
Minimum annual salary: $93,301
Outaouais
Gatineau
Median price: $511,000
Minimum annual salary: $97,189
Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
Saguenay
Median price: $342,000
Minimum annual salary: $65,120
This story was adapted from the article “Voici le salaire annuel qu’il te faut pour acheter une maison dans ces 24 villes du Québec” which was originally published on Narcity Quebec.
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